Ruling and Opposition Parties Agree Not to Hold Plenary Session on August 22, the Day of People Power Party Convention

Ruling and Opposition Floor Leaders Meet with Speaker Woo Wonsik
Yellow Envelope Act to Be Put to Vote on the 24th

The Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party agreed on August 19 not to hold a plenary session on August 22, the day of the People Power Party's national convention. Originally, the August extraordinary session of the National Assembly was scheduled to hold plenary sessions from August 21 to 24, but with August 22 excluded, an additional session will be held on August 25. As a result, the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act), the most contentious bill of this session, is expected to be introduced on August 23 and put to a vote on August 24.

After a meeting with Speaker Woo Wonsik at the National Assembly in the afternoon, the ruling and opposition parties announced to reporters that they had agreed to hold plenary sessions on August 21, 23, 24, and 25.

Woo Wonsik, Speaker of the National Assembly, Kim Byunggi, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Song Unseok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, are taking a commemorative photo at a meeting of the ruling and opposition floor leaders chaired by the Speaker at the National Assembly on the 19th. From the left, Moon Jinseok, Deputy Floor Chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, Floor Leader Kim, Speaker Woo, Floor Leader Song, and Yoo Sangbeom, Deputy Floor Chief of the People Power Party. 2025.8.19 Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Moon Jinseok, Deputy Floor Chief of the Democratic Party, said, "The original schedule agreed upon by both parties was from the 21st to the 24th, but since the People Power Party's national convention is on the 22nd, the ruling party generously agreed not to hold a plenary session on the 22nd and instead to hold it on the 25th."

During this extraordinary session, the Democratic Party plans to process key bills, including the two broadcasting bills (amendments to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act and the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act), the Yellow Envelope Act (amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union Act), and the so-called "stronger" Commercial Act amendment.

Earlier in the day, Song Unseok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, met with Speaker Woo and stated that since bills not agreed upon are being introduced, the People Power Party would have no choice but to filibuster, and that it would be unacceptable to hold a plenary session on the day of the national convention.

Accordingly, the Democratic Party plans to introduce the amendment to the Foundation for Broadcast Culture Act, the appointment motion for Choo Mi-ae as Chair of the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and the amendment to the Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act (EBS Act) in the plenary session starting on August 21. The People Power Party is expected to respond with a filibuster against the EBS Act amendment. If the filibuster and the vote on the EBS Act amendment are concluded on the morning of August 22, no plenary session will be held that day.

Subsequently, if the Democratic Party introduces the Yellow Envelope Act on August 23, the People Power Party will respond with a filibuster, and a vote is expected to take place on August 24. In addition, after the vote on the 24th, the plenary session schedule will proceed on the 25th with the introduction of the second Commercial Act amendment, a filibuster, and a vote in that order.