Speaker of the National Assembly Sets Final Deadline for Ruling and Opposition Parties to Form Parliamentary Committees by the 23rd
Ruling Party Rejects Even the Operations Committee's Request, Proposes One-Year Terms
Opposition Party Conditions Acceptance on Waiving the Right to Reconsider
Deadlock Continues with Only Unacceptable Proposals Presented
As the 22nd National Assembly has been in session for 20 days, the ruling and opposition parties remain deadlocked over the organization of the parliamentary committees, each presenting proposals unacceptable to the other. With Speaker Woo Won-shik setting a deadline of June 23 for the committee organization, it has become increasingly likely that, barring a miraculous change, the opposition party will monopolize all the standing committee chairmanships.
On the 19th, Choo Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, proposed a negotiation plan regarding the committee organization issue in which the chairmanships of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee?where the ruling and opposition parties have sharply conflicting positions?would be alternated annually between the opposition and ruling parties. Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly, Choo said, "Since the Steering Committee has been chaired by the ruling party continuously since 1987, we requested that it be returned to the ruling party in respect of that precedent, but we received a response that it was practically difficult," adding, "We propose that the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee be chaired by the Democratic Party for one year, and then by the People Power Party in the second year."
Earlier, Floor Leader Choo had suggested that if the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee was handed over to the People Power Party, the chairmanships of the Steering Committee and the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee could be transferred as well. On this day, Choo additionally proposed that at least the Steering Committee chairmanship be returned to the ruling party, but revealed that this was also rejected. In this context, he made a revised proposal to return the chairmanships of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee after one year.
The Democratic Party rejected this proposal as insincere. However, Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party, indicated that if President Yoon Suk-yeol refrains from exercising his veto power over the next year, they could accept Choo’s proposal. At a press briefing, Park said, "(The People Power Party) claimed the committee organization was illegal the day before and filed a constitutional complaint, and then the next day suggested splitting the chairmanships for one year each. How can that make sense? There is no sincerity at all," expressing rejection.
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is holding a press briefing on the organization of the 22nd National Assembly at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
However, Park proposed conditions for trust, including a one-year ban on President Yoon’s veto power, majority voting on bills without consensus, and that the People Power Party also fight against executive overreach into legislative authority. Park added, "Trust is built not by words but by actions and practice," and said, "If President Yoon and the People Power Party show change and demonstrate trustworthiness through actions over the next year, we can positively consider Floor Leader Choo’s proposal."
The People Power Party rejected the Democratic Party’s revised proposal.
Bae Jun-young, deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, condemned the suggestion not to exercise the veto power as disregarding the basic principle of separation of powers, saying, "The veto power is a constitutional right, and asking not to exercise it is a statement that ignores fundamental principles." He added, "It is basically saying not to use it." Regarding future responses, he said, "We will gather consensus through a party meeting."
Speaker Woo issued a final ultimatum for the ruling and opposition parties to complete the committee organization by June 23. Considering the schedule for floor speeches by parliamentary negotiation groups and government questioning sessions in the June plenary session, the committee organization negotiations must be concluded by the weekend.
As both sides continue to present proposals unacceptable to the other, the possibility of the opposition party organizing the committees unilaterally has grown stronger.
The deputy floor leaders of both parties continued negotiations separately after proposals were exchanged between the floor leaders but only confirmed their differences. Deputy Floor Leader Bae said, "We had in-depth talks but there is no progress at this point," adding, "We will continue to make efforts until the last moment to normalize the National Assembly." Park Sung-joon, deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party, said, "The claims of the People Power Party and the Democratic Party have not moved an inch closer, but we will try to find common ground by the 23rd." However, the two deputy floor leaders later engaged in a dispute over responsibility for the delay in committee organization negotiations.
Choi Byung-chun, director of the New Growth Research Institute, said, "Both parties are presenting negotiation proposals that are difficult for the other side to accept," adding, "Although they take the form of negotiations, it is questionable whether there is any real willingness to negotiate."
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