Ruling and Opposition Parties Enter a Week of Fierce Standoff... Handling Broadcast Culture Act, Yellow Envelope Act, and More

Democratic Party Pushes Key Bills, People Power Party Plans Filibuster
Standoff Expected to Continue After August Extraordinary Session
Ruling Party: "People Power Party Has Become Irredeemable"
Opposition: "Lee Jaemyung's Unity Is Fake Unity"

The Democratic Party of Korea plans to convene plenary sessions starting August 21, when the August extraordinary session of the National Assembly begins, to sequentially handle key legislative bills. These include amendments to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act, the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act (EBS Act), amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, and the second round of amendments to the Commercial Act. The People Power Party is planning to stage a filibuster, as it did during the July extraordinary session regarding the EBS Act, raising expectations of a fierce standoff.

According to both parties on August 18, if the Democratic Party brings to the plenary session the two broadcasting bills (the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act and the EBS Act), the Yellow Envelope Act, and the second round of Commercial Act amendments-which were not processed during the July session-the People Power Party intends to launch a filibuster.

Previously, the Democratic Party brought the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act to the plenary session on August 5, the last day of the July session, but the People Power Party initiated a filibuster, pushing the voting procedure to the next session. The People Power Party has stated that it will cooperate if the Democratic Party proposes amendments to the Yellow Envelope Act and the second round of Commercial Act amendments. However, the Democratic Party believes that the People Power Party is stalling for time without presenting specific details. As a result, the legislative process is expected to follow a pattern of forced passage, filibuster, and then a vote after compulsory termination.

Jeong Cheongrae, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 18th. 2025.8.18 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Even after the August extraordinary session ends, the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to continue. The Democratic Party plans to continue introducing bills, including amendments to special prosecutor laws that would expand the period and scope of investigations into the three major special prosecutor cases (insurrection, Kim Keonhee, and Chae Sangbyeong), as well as bills for prosecutorial, judicial, and media reform. The party is criticizing the former President Yoon Sukyeol and his spouse for their lack of cooperation with the special prosecutor, and is also targeting controversies surrounding the People Power Party convention.

Jeon Hyunhee, a member of the Democratic Party's Supreme Council, claimed at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on this day, "It has been belatedly confirmed that Han Ducksoo (former Prime Minister), Choi Sangmok (former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance), and Lee Sangmin (former Minister of the Interior and Safety) perjured themselves in the National Assembly, denying at a cabinet meeting convened on the day of the emergency martial law that they had ever seen the insurrection documents delivered by Yoon Sukyeol, the ringleader of the insurrection." Kim Byungjoo, another Supreme Council member, also criticized, "The People Power Party's candidate for party leader is shielding far-right agitator Jeon Hangil and is crying out that Yoon Sukyeol is not ashamed even amid insurrection. The Far-Right Power Party has reached a point of no return, becoming completely irredeemable and unrecyclable."

In contrast, the People Power Party has launched a counteroffensive, framing the special prosecutor's attempt to search and seize the party headquarters and party member roster in the Kim Keonhee case as an oppression of the opposition. The party is also preparing the 'Lee Choonseok Special Prosecutor Act' in response to allegations of proxy stock trading by independent lawmaker Lee Choonseok, who served as head of the second economic subcommittee of the National Planning Committee. Additionally, the party is preparing hearings related to the pardons of Cho Kuk, former leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, and Yoon Mihyang, former lawmaker.

Song Eonseok, interim leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, convened a meeting of the emergency committee at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 18th, stating, "(The national unity President Lee Jaemyung speaks of) is nothing but a fake unity that oppresses and excludes the opposition, a unity exclusively for themselves."

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