Ruling and Opposition Parties: "Medical Sector Participation Is Most Important in the Yeoya Legislative Council... Agree to Persuade" (Comprehensive)

Meeting of National Assembly Speaker and Ruling and Opposition Floor Leaders
Encouraging Medical Sector Participation Rather Than Immediate Launch of Ruling-Opposition-Government Consultative Body
No Specific Composition Plans Announced Yet

The floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on the 9th agreed to make efforts to encourage the medical community's participation in the 'Ruling and Opposition Parliamentary Council' to discuss solutions to the medical crisis. Specific details such as the method of forming the council were not disclosed.

At the meeting of the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties held on the 9th under the chairmanship of Speaker Woo Won-sik, discussions were held on establishing a special committee on climate (tentatively named the Special Committee on Climate Crisis Response) and the Ruling and Opposition Parliamentary Council within the National Assembly.

On the 9th, the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties are meeting in the Speaker's office at the National Assembly. From the left, Bae Jun-young, Chief Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party, Choo Kyung-ho, Floor Leader, Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, Park Chan-dae, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Park Sung-joon, Chief Deputy Floor Leader. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the same day, after the meeting held at the National Assembly, Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "There was mutual agreement on the necessity of the (council), and the most important issue is the participation of the medical community," adding, "We hope the government and ruling party will actively engage in dialogue to encourage the medical community's participation, and they are currently making efforts and will continue to do so more actively." Speaker Woo and Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, also shared the recognition that 'participation of the medical community is necessary.'

In the political circles, there was a suggestion that if the medical community refuses, the ruling and opposition parties should first discuss solutions to the medical crisis, but they agreed to first encourage the medical community's participation. The opposition party called for sincere measures from the government as a way to persuade the medical community. Floor leader Park said, "I mentioned that the government needs to make sincere and persuasive proposals to bring the medical community to the negotiation table," adding, "Since the opposition party also proposed a council to resolve the medical crisis, we will focus more on solving related issues around the Chuseok holiday."

The sincere solution demanded by the opposition party is presumed to include an apology from President Yoon Suk-yeol and disciplinary action against officials related to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Cho Seung-rae, chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party, said in a statement, "If they have realized the seriousness of the situation belatedly, it is only natural to start with a sincere apology," and demanded, "President Yoon should apologize for causing the medical crisis and hold those responsible accountable."

In addition to the climate special committee, the ruling and opposition parties also announced plans to establish the Special Committee on Political Reform (Jeonggae Special Committee) and others.

Floor leader Park said regarding the special committees, "We have agreed to establish the climate special committee, the political reform special committee, and the ethics special committee," adding, "Other committees such as the population special committee, pension special committee, and local extinction special committee will be discussed further."

The climate special committee is an issue that Speaker Woo has repeatedly emphasized. In his opening speech for the 22nd National Assembly on the 2nd, Speaker Woo proposed, "Let us promptly establish the National Assembly Climate Special Committee," and "grant the committee the authority to review bills and budgets." On the 4th, he also held the 'Unveiling Ceremony of the National Assembly Climate Crisis Clock' and stressed, "Responding to the climate crisis is not a choice but an unavoidable issue."

The ruling and opposition parties have also tentatively agreed on the formation of the political reform special committee, which has traditionally been established around the time of the National Assembly's opening. Once formed, the committee is expected to address issues such as the revival of local party branches, which the ruling and opposition parties are narrowing differences on, easing the criteria for negotiation groups, and revising election laws.