"No Compromise Proposal from the Opposition, Regret over the Speaker's Attitude"
Ruling Party to Hold a Lawmakers' Meeting on the 24th to Reach a Conclusion
The floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties continued negotiations on the 23rd to organize the National Assembly but ultimately failed to reach an agreement.
Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, said to reporters after the meeting of floor leaders held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, “I think negotiations with empty hands are no longer meaningful, and there will be no more meetings in the future. We will gather the consensus of our lawmakers and make our own decision on how to respond in the National Assembly going forward.”
He stated, “Park Chan-dae, the floor leader, has only repeated his existing position and has never presented any compromise or negotiation proposals. So far, the meetings have been like that, but I think conversations without any additional concession proposals from the Democratic Party are meaningless.”
Regarding Woo Won-sik, who presided over the meeting that day, he also said, “He only urged the negotiations but has not yet presented any mediation proposals,” and criticized, “I am very disappointed with the stance and attitude shown during the mediation process of negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties so far.”
Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party, also said after the meeting, “There were four proposals from the People Power Party, and the Democratic Party rejected them,” adding, “Ultimately, wouldn’t it be meaningful for the ruling and opposition parties to consult within the established principles of separation of powers and democracy, balancing between the executive and legislative branches?” He continued, “Regarding the (fourth) proposal to alternate the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee every year, it can be considered when trust has accumulated over about a year.”
Earlier, on the 19th, Floor Leader Chu proposed to the Democratic Party that the chairmanships of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee and Steering Committee be held by each party for one year each. In response, the Democratic Party countered conditionally, demanding, among other things, a ban on President Yoon Seok-youl’s exercise of the veto power during the first year. The People Power Party effectively expressed refusal, and the two sides have remained at an impasse.
The Democratic Party has effectively announced it will monopolize the standing committees. Even if the ruling party does not submit a list of standing committee chairpersons, the Democratic Party plans to elect the remaining seven standing committee chairpersons at the plenary session of the National Assembly on the 25th and complete the organization. However, if the People Power Party decides to submit a list of standing committee chairpersons, the remaining seven chairpersons allocated to the People Power Party are expected to be distributed according to the existing proposal.
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