National Assembly to Convene Plenary Session This Afternoon
Over 20 Non-Contentious Bills Expected to Be Processed
The amendments to the Act on Countermeasures against Agricultural and Fishery Disasters and the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act, which were subject to the exercise of the right of reconsideration (veto) during the administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol, will be processed through bipartisan agreement on July 23. This decision is interpreted as a response to public sentiment and the plight of farmers affected by the recent heavy rains.
The National Assembly will convene a plenary session in the afternoon to table the two bills?Act on Countermeasures against Agricultural and Fishery Disasters and the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act?among the four major agricultural bills (including the Grain Management Act amendment and the Agricultural Product Price Stabilization Act) that have received bipartisan support. The amendment to the Act on Countermeasures against Agricultural and Fishery Disasters requires the government to establish and implement a basic plan for agricultural and fishery disaster countermeasures every five years and to compensate for production costs incurred prior to disasters. The amendment to the Agricultural and Fishery Disaster Insurance Act expands the scope of disaster insurance to include damages from pests and diseases.
These bills were approved by bipartisan agreement in the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee on July 14. On July 23, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik presided over a meeting with Kim Byung-ki, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, and Song Eon-seok, interim leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, to discuss the legislative agenda. Earlier, at the Supreme Council meeting, Floor Leader Kim Byung-ki stated, "As we enter the golden time for price stabilization, the Democratic Party will make every possible effort together with the government."
Meanwhile, more than 20 other bills are also scheduled for plenary processing, including the amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that changes the legal status of artificial intelligence (AI) digital textbooks from "textbooks" to "educational materials." The confirmation motion for Kim Sang-hwan, nominee for President of the Constitutional Court, is also expected to be tabled and processed.
The Local Currency Act, which mandates government financial support for local gift certificates, may be processed at this plenary session, but there is also a possibility it will be postponed to the next plenary session on August 4. The core of the Local Currency Act is to change the government’s financial contribution to local gift certificates from "discretionary" to "mandatory." The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has opposed this bill, citing concerns about infringement on local government autonomy and government budgetary authority.
However, with the inauguration of the new administration, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s position has changed. Vice Minister Kim Minjae explained at the full meeting of the Public Administration and Security Committee on July 10, "Unlike the previously passed bill, this amendment includes a proviso allowing the ministry to adjust the policy in consideration of the fiscal capacity of local governments."
National funding for local gift certificates began as a pilot program in 2018. During the COVID-19 response in 2020, both the amount of national funding and the issuance scale increased significantly, but have since been steadily decreasing.
National funding amounted to 1.3522 trillion won in 2021, 705 billion won in 2022, 352.2 billion won in 2023, and 299.8 billion won in 2024. Last year, when the National Assembly asked all 17 metropolitan and provincial governments for their views on the complete elimination of national funding for local gift certificates, 12 local governments responded that they opposed the reduction or believed national funding was necessary.
The motion to elect members of the National Human Rights Commission (Standing Commissioner Ji Youngjun and Non-standing Commissioner Park Hyeongmyeong), which was expected to be tabled at the plenary session, has been put on hold. Ji Youngjun, nominee for standing commissioner, has faced criticism for leading anti-LGBT sentiment, and Park Hyeongmyeong, nominee for non-standing commissioner, has also been controversial for supporting former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of emergency martial law, raising concerns about potential dissent within the ruling bloc.
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