Ruling and Opposition Parties Agree to Hold Plenary Session on June 26... Ruling Party Calls for Swift Extra Budget, Opposition Demands Judiciary Committee Chair

First Meeting Between Ruling and Opposition Floor Leaders Chaired by Speaker
Woo Wonsik Requests Submission of Special Committee on Budget and Accounts List by June 26

The ruling and opposition parties have agreed to convene a plenary session of the National Assembly on June 26 to discuss the formation of an additional supplementary budget (extra budget).

On June 24, Kim Byungki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Song Eonseok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, met at the National Assembly under the chairmanship of Speaker Woo Wonsik. During the meeting, the two parties discussed scheduling the plenary session, reallocating standing committee chairmanships, and forming the extra budget.

Yonhap News Agency

Kim Hyunjung, Democratic Party spokesperson for the floor, told reporters after the closed-door meeting, "Only the government policy speech on the supplementary budget and the adoption of a resolution commemorating former U.S. Congressman Charles Rangel will be conducted."

Park Sunghoon, floor spokesperson for the People Power Party, also responded to a question about whether the plenary session on the 26th was confirmed, saying, "For now, you can consider it that way."

According to Kim, Speaker Woo requested during the closed-door meeting that both parties submit the list of members for the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts by June 26. Speaker Woo also asked the parties to reach an agreement on reallocating vacant standing committee positions, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, to form the Special Committee on Ethics, and to discuss extending the activity period for the Special Committee on Aviation Accidents, which ends at the end of June.

In his opening remarks, Kim emphasized, "People's livelihoods are on the brink," and stressed, "Swift action is crucial to ensure proper timing." He added, "Given the complex domestic and international crises, it is time to prioritize the instability and hardships faced by the public," and urged the People Power Party, "Please cooperate so that the supplementary budget for livelihoods can be processed quickly."

Song, the floor leader, stated, "It has long been customary for the largest party in the Assembly to hold the Speaker's position, while the second-largest party, or a party without the Speaker, holds the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee." He continued, "As President Lee Jaemyung and the Democratic Party argued when they were in the opposition, I once again request that the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee be allocated to the second-largest party, which is now the opposition."