"Operating National Assembly Standing Committee by Rush"...Democratic Party Submits Disciplinary Proposal Against Ruling Party's Song Eon-seok

Jung Tae-ho "Text 3 Minutes Ago, End in 1 Minute"
"Intent to Prevent Budget Bill Deliberation"

The Democratic Party of Korea has submitted a disciplinary proposal against Song Eon-seok, the chairman of the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee (PFC) from the People Power Party. The reason cited is that he unilaterally decided the schedule for the full committee meeting, which requires agreement between the ruling and opposition party floor leaders, intentionally blocking the attendance of Democratic Party members.

Jeong Tae-ho, the opposition floor leader of the PFC, submitted the disciplinary proposal to the National Assembly's legislative affairs office on the afternoon of the 14th, explaining, "During consultations between floor leaders, the chairman unilaterally convened the full committee meeting and sent a text message only three minutes before the meeting, effectively making it impossible for members other than those from the People Power Party to attend." He added, "When I hurried to the PFC meeting room, it had already been adjourned, and all the People Power Party members were gathered in the chairman’s office," asserting that "the chairman clearly infringed on the rights of the members." Democratic Party and Innovation for Korea Party members of the PFC, along with some Democratic Party members from other standing committees, co-signed the disciplinary proposal.

Jeong Il-young (left), Jeong Tae-ho (center), and Lim Kwang-hyun (right), members of the Democratic Party belonging to the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee, are submitting a disciplinary proposal against Song Eon-seok, the chairman of the Finance Committee, to the National Assembly Secretariat on the afternoon of the 14th. Photo by Oh Ji-eun

The PFC held a full committee meeting at 5:10 p.m. on the previous day (the 13th) and referred some budget-related subsidiary bills to a subcommittee. This was conducted with six People Power Party members attending out of the 26 PFC members. Alternative debates usually take place during the full committee meeting before referral to a subcommittee, but the Democratic Party pointed out that such alternative debates were not held. Floor leader Jeong criticized, "Since the bills contain several contentious issues, alternative debates where members express their positions are necessary, but that procedure was skipped," calling it a "'smash-and-grab' referral to the subcommittee."

The Democratic Party believes that Chairman Song deliberately blocked opposition members from attending the meeting to avoid reviewing the budget bill. Floor leader Jeong stated, "It seems that the People Power Party and the government had already conspired and sent the meeting attendance text messages late," adding, "I think there was a strategy and intention not to review the 2025 budget." He also declared, "We will continue to demand the convening of the full committee meeting tomorrow."

The Democratic Party plans to again demand Chairman Song to reopen the full PFC meeting on the following day, the 15th.