Ruling and Opposition Parties Engage in Daily Tensions Over Leadership of 'Yeoyajeong National Policy Consultation Body'

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The ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a daily power struggle over the members and agenda of the 'Ruling-Opposition-Government National Consultation Body,' which they agreed to establish to resolve the national turmoil following the December 3 emergency martial law situation. There are forecasts that its future operation will not be smooth.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is meeting with Kwon Seong-dong, acting leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, at the National Assembly on the 18th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

The People Power Party has decided to participate in the Ruling-Opposition-Government National Consultation Body by accepting the proposal of Speaker Woo Won-sik. The consultation body is expected to function as a mechanism to draw political consensus during the impeachment crisis, involving Speaker Woo, Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, and representatives from both the People Power Party and the Democratic Party.

While the ruling and opposition parties have reached a consensus on the direction, they engaged in a tense negotiation over who should be the representatives of the two parties in practical terms. The People Power Party insists that the consultation body must produce substantial results such as legislation, so the floor leaders of both parties, including the Speaker and Acting President, should participate. On the other hand, the Democratic Party argues that a macro-level discussion is necessary to resolve the political situation, so the party leaders should be involved.

Since no agreement was reached between the parties, Speaker Woo held a meeting with the floor leaders of both parties on the morning of the 23rd to discuss the composition of the consultation body. The day before, Speaker Woo proposed a mediation plan where party leaders would participate in the launch of the consultation body, and subsequent practical discussions would be centered on the floor leaders. If a conclusion is reached at this meeting, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to promptly agree on the composition of the consultation body and begin setting the agenda in earnest.

However, even if the ruling and opposition parties agree on the composition of the consultation body, another clash over the agenda is anticipated. A power struggle between the ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party is expected, as there are many contentious issues with clear differences in positions. The People Power Party is expected to demand early execution of next year’s main budget and appointments of the Ministers of National Defense and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, while the Democratic Party is expected to request the drafting of a supplementary budget, the enactment of special investigation laws on the insurrection and on First Lady Kim Keon-hee, and the appointment of a constitutional court justice representing the National Assembly. The People Power Party opposes the early supplementary budget and the special investigation laws on the insurrection, while the Democratic Party is reportedly negative about appointing new ministers under the acting president system.

Moreover, the Democratic Party has warned that if Acting President Han does not promulgate the special investigation laws on the insurrection and on First Lady Kim on the 24th, they will impeach him, which is expected to cause difficulties in operating the Ruling-Opposition-Government National Consultation Body.