Veto Power Exercised on Six Bills Including Grain Management Act
Burden of Opposition's Backlash... Maximizing Bipartisan Negotiations
Veto Exercised First, Then Discussion on Problematic Clauses
Han Duck-soo, Acting President and Prime Minister, is weighing the exercise of the veto power on six bills, including the Grain Management Act, which were passed by the National Assembly led by the opposition party. Analysts predict that Prime Minister Han will likely exercise the veto first and then work with both ruling and opposition parties to address the problematic aspects of the bills.
According to the Prime Minister's Office on the 17th, Acting President Han did not put the six bills, including the Grain Management Act, on the agenda at the first regular Cabinet meeting he presided over as Acting President this morning, and is still reviewing whether to exercise the veto. Since the deadline for exercising the veto is the 21st, a special Cabinet meeting will be convened later this week to decide on the veto exercise.
For now, the government atmosphere leans toward a high possibility of veto exercise. A Prime Minister's Office official said, "There is a perception that it is not appropriate to suddenly change the stance when the relevant ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, have opposed these bills so far," adding, "We cannot ignore such aspects."
In fact, the government has expressed concerns about the Grain Management Act, which mandates the government to compulsorily purchase surplus rice and pay the difference if the grain market price falls below the average, stating that it "raises concerns about market distortion." The government also clearly opposes other bills such as the Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Countermeasures Act and the amendment to the National Assembly Testimony and Inspection Act.
However, as Acting President Han must maintain stable governance during the impeachment phase, it is difficult to ignore the opposition party's backlash. The decision to withhold the bills from the Cabinet meeting agenda is also interpreted as a sign that he intends to observe further negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties, such as the upcoming meeting on the 18th between Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party.
From Acting President Han’s perspective, it would be best if a conclusion is reached through bipartisan negotiations, but if not, it is analyzed that he will choose to exercise the veto first and then seek a compromise. A government official said in a phone interview, "It is best for the Acting President to exercise the veto first and then discuss with both parties to improve the problematic points of the bills," adding, "Basically, the government’s position is not to exclude either party."
The ruling and opposition parties also have experience passing the Nursing Act last August through a last-minute agreement, which included the legal basis for medical activities of Physician Assistants (PA) nurses. A Prime Minister's Office official said, "Of course, consultations with the ruling party and government are necessary, but we also intend to actively participate in the ruling-opposition-government consultative body."
Opinions are divided on whether Acting President Han will exercise the veto on the Special Investigation Act on Treason and the Special Investigation Act on Kim Geon-hee, which passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 12th. Unlike the four agricultural laws related to the economy and people's livelihood, the Special Investigation Acts have a strong political nature. In particular, voices within the Democratic Party are growing that if Prime Minister Han also vetoes the Special Investigation Acts, impeachment proceedings should begin.
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