[Report] The 'Star' Has Disappeared... The National Assembly Forgetting 'Night' Ahead of the Audit

Night of the 2nd at the Assembly Hall, Three-Quarters Working Overtime
Several Incumbent Lawmakers Dreaming of Becoming 'Stars' Also Noticeable
Although the Buzz Has Weakened, 'National Audit is National Audit'

In political circles, there is a term called 'National Assembly Inspection (Gukgam) Star.' It refers to lawmakers who lead issues during the inspection period or beforehand, making witnesses or reference persons flustered and attracting media attention?so-called lawmakers who hit a 'home run.' Nowadays, this term has disappeared. This is because it has become routine for the inspection to devolve into mere verbal sparring between the ruling and opposition parties or to continue with ineffective, bland criticisms without significant results. There are even frequent arguments questioning, "Is such an inspection really necessary?" Nevertheless, those dreaming of becoming a 'star' stay up all night even today. On the night of the 2nd, ahead of the inspection, we toured the National Assembly Members' Office Building.

Outside the National Assembly on the night of the 2nd, the atmosphere was quiet due to consecutive bridge holidays such as Armed Forces Day (1st) and National Foundation Day (3rd). However, the Members' Office Building, where lawmakers' aides work, was brightly lit. The Asia Economy National Assembly team checked from the 3rd to the 10th floors, where lawmakers' offices are located, and confirmed that in about three-quarters of the offices, at least one aide was working overtime.

With the 22nd National Assembly and the large influx of MZ generation aides, there were questions about whether they would work overtime during the inspection as in the past, but the atmosphere remained the same. However, it was calmer. It was different from the past when lawmakers, who were like 'bosses,' set up camp beds and prepared for the inspection noisily as if fighting a war. Many offices were open while work was ongoing, but some offices had their doors locked with the lights still on. While they might have been in meetings or temporarily away for meals or restroom breaks, it also seemed possible that they left the lights on and went home.

The working atmosphere varied by office. In some places, one or two aides stayed behind, so busy reviewing materials that they didn’t even notice people looking in from outside. In others, most aides stayed at their desks in 'study mode.' There were even some offices where serious discussions were held with quite loud voices.

"They don’t give us enough materials."

The sound of reporting could be heard through an open door. It seemed like a grumble while reporting to a superior about the lack of proper materials requested from the audited institutions. In some offices, sounds of editing were heard, possibly replaying the same video footage repeatedly to use as evidence for the inspection. The tiredness was visible in the aides’ eyes as they went back and forth to the restroom. Food delivery trash was left near the restroom.

One aide said, "With the inspection approaching, I work until at least midnight, then go home and come back at dawn to wrestle with the materials." Another aide said, "Even though there are overlapping holidays, is there any aide who fully rests on those days?" In one office where most aides stayed, they explained, "We are working because we have to report to the lawmaker about the next day’s inspection items."

Several trends were confirmed. First, judging by the number of aides staying in the offices and the atmosphere, the opposition party appeared to be more actively engaged in the inspection. There was a clear enthusiasm to uncover even one new fact. In the ruling party, many first-term lawmakers’ offices had their lights on, but in the case of senior lawmakers, offices with the lights off were frequently seen, showing a different pattern.

Another point was that, possibly due to the 'ㄷ'-shaped layout of the Members' Office Building, the atmosphere varied by section even on the same floor. If neighboring offices stayed late, others tended to follow suit. There was a sense of paying attention to whether nearby offices were working overtime. One aide said, "When I leave at night, I take a quick look around to see how other rooms are doing," adding, "Everyone roughly knows which offices stay late in the surrounding area."

Not only aides but also lawmakers working overtime were noticeable. Kim Young-hwan, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, stopped a reporter for a cup of tea. Comparing the inspection to 'a year’s harvest,' Kim said, "I will address the current administration’s economic policy failures and tax revenue shortfalls during the inspection." Several other lawmakers were also seen entering the Members' Office Building after dinner.

Especially this year, many predict the inspection atmosphere will be dull. This is mainly because issues related to First Lady Kim Geon-hee are expected to overshadow the inspection. There is a deep-rooted skepticism about whether pointing out policy issues will have any impact amid such volatile matters. Moreover, it has become common knowledge that rather than gaining attention during the inspection, making provocative remarks on social media (SNS) and YouTube to appeal to supporters draws more eyes. However, in each office, there were still those buried in piles of materials, working hard to make better inquiries. The term 'inspection' truly felt appropriate.

"Have you left work?"

At 10 p.m., as I was leaving the Members' Office Building, I sent a text message to an aide I knew to check in. After a while, I received a reply.

"I should leave work, but I’m coming back tomorrow."

The inspection will be held for 26 days from the 7th of this month to the 1st of next month.