Senior Floor Leaders of Ruling and Opposition Parties to Meet in the Afternoon
Plenary Session Schedule and Committee Formation to Be Revisited
Tensions Expected to Continue Over Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chairmanship
The ruling and opposition parties will resume discussions on June 19 regarding the plenary session schedule and the formation of parliamentary committees. As the plenary session, which the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) had set as the deadline for committee formation, has not been convened, attention is focused on whether a compromise can be reached. The tug-of-war is expected to continue, as the People Power Party (PPP) is demanding the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, while the DPK is determined to retain it.
According to political sources, Moon Jinseok, the DPK's chief deputy floor leader, and Yoo Sangbum, the PPP's chief deputy floor leader, are scheduled to meet in the afternoon to revisit the plenary session schedule and the allocation of standing committee chairmanships. A key official from the DPK floor leadership stated, "The floor leaders of both parties are expected to meet after 2 p.m." A key official from the PPP floor leadership also said, "The exact time has not been set yet, but discussions will take place."
The two parties remain at odds over the chairmanships of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The previous chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, DPK lawmaker Jung Chungrae, stepped down, leaving the position vacant. The chairmanship of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts changes annually, making it subject to selection.
The PPP has demanded that the DPK yield the chairmanships of both the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the opposition. However, these committees have authority over the review of supplementary budgets, next year's budget bill, and key legislative issues, making it difficult for the DPK to concede. This is why DPK floor leader Kim Byungki and PPP floor leader Song Eonseok, who met at the National Assembly the previous day to discuss the matter, failed to reach a conclusion.
In addition, the PPP has drawn a line in the sand by offering to give up chairmanships of diplomatic and security-related committees, which have traditionally been held by the ruling party. Kim Seokki, chair of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Sung Iljong, chair of the National Defense Committee, and Shin Seongbeom, chair of the Intelligence Committee, held a press conference the previous day, stating, "If the DPK yields the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the PPP, we are willing to hand over the chairmanships of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the National Defense Committee, and the Intelligence Committee." In response, the DPK drew a clear line, saying, "Since one year has passed in the first half of the two-year term for committee operations, the current arrangement should remain in place for the remaining year."
The DPK is under pressure to expedite committee formation in order to quickly process the supplementary budget (extra budget) bill. The government announced, after a cabinet meeting on this day, that it plans to submit the supplementary budget bill to the National Assembly on June 23. Appointing a new chair for the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, which is currently vacant, is essential for handling the supplementary budget bill. At a policy coordination meeting on this day, floor leader Kim Byungki urged, "The PPP should stop its obstruction and join us in upholding the greater cause and principle of restoring people's livelihoods. Both parties must work together to process the supplementary budget bill even a single day sooner, so that we can resolve the issues affecting people's daily lives."
The dispute over the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is also expected to be prolonged, as floor leader Kim emphasized the importance of retaining the chairmanship during his campaign for the position. On the other hand, the PPP argues that, since the DPK, as the majority party in the National Assembly, can pass bills without even the possibility of a presidential veto, the PPP must at least hold the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to provide a minimum level of oversight.
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