Opposition Proposes Electing Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair Next Week, Ruling Party Rejects
Democratic Party to Elect All Standing Committee Chairs Including Budget Committee
Song Eonseok Requests Speaker Woo Not to Put Agenda to a Vote
On June 27, the Democratic Party of Korea is pushing ahead with the election of standing committee chairs, including the chairs of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, by convening a plenary session of the National Assembly. The People Power Party, which has consistently argued that the opposition should hold the positions of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair and the Budget Committee chair, requested, "Even if the Budget Committee chair is elected today, the other standing committee chairs should be discussed further between the ruling and opposition parties." However, the Democratic Party dismissed this as "obstruction of state affairs."
President Lee Jae Myung is delivering a supplementary budget policy speech at the National Assembly plenary session on the 26th. Photo by Yonhap News
The Democratic Party plans to convene a plenary session at 2 p.m. that day to elect the chairs of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Budget and Accounts Committee, and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, among others. Kim Byungjoo, Supreme Council member of the Democratic Party, stated at a Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, "The People Power Party is demanding the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair position, and is linking this to not only the confirmation of the Prime Minister but also the review of the supplementary budget bill, thereby causing disruption." He criticized, "What does the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair position have to do with these matters, and why is it being held hostage to obstruct state affairs?" The Democratic Party is expected to hold a general assembly of its lawmakers just before the plenary session to seek cooperation in electing the committee chair nominees announced the previous day.
The previous day, the Democratic Party nominated Lee Choonseok (four-term lawmaker) as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Han Byungdo (three-term lawmaker) as chair of the Budget and Accounts Committee, and Kim Gyoheung (three-term lawmaker) as chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. The People Power Party argued that, for the sake of balance, the chairs of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Budget Committee should be handed over to the opposition. However, the Democratic Party maintains that the composition should follow the agreement made at the opening of the National Assembly last year. Although there have been several meetings between the floor leaders of both parties, the negotiations have remained at an impasse.
The People Power Party strongly objected to the Democratic Party's move to force the election of standing committee chairs. Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a party strategy meeting in the morning, "I asked National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik to give us more time to discuss the standing committee chair positions, but Speaker Woo said he could not grant any more time." He added, "I officially request that Speaker Woo not put the election of standing committee chairs on the agenda if the plenary session is forced through."
After the meeting, Song told reporters, "Since the supplementary budget bill needs to be reviewed quickly for the sake of people's livelihoods, I can agree to electing the Budget Committee chair at today's plenary session. However, I believe it would be better for the ruling and opposition parties to discuss and handle the other standing committee chair positions next week. If so, the People Power Party is willing to cooperate with that schedule." The underlying intent is that, even if the Budget Committee chair is handed over, the People Power Party cannot give up the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair, which can be used to check government and ruling party bills. In response, Kim Hyunjung, Democratic Party spokesperson, said, "The Democratic Party's position remains unchanged."
Song further emphasized, "In order to realize the cooperative governance that President Lee Jae Myung mentioned, the People Power Party will always communicate and go through dialogue." He added, "Since the Democratic Party holds an overwhelming majority in the Assembly, I hope they will also communicate and approach matters with an open mind so that common-sense parliamentary politics can be restored." The Democratic Party plans to complete the composition of the Assembly at the plenary session that day, and then convene another plenary session next week to handle the supplementary budget bill. A key party official stated, "It is only natural to hold a plenary session next week. If we miss this opportunity, it will be a serious blow, as both the market and the public have high expectations for the supplementary budget bill."
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