Democratic Party Reaches Consensus to Refrain from Summoning Conglomerate Leaders as Witnesses in This Year's National Assembly Audit

Jung Chungrae and Kim Byungki Stress the Need for an Audit Befitting the Ruling Party
Conscious of Criticism Over "Taming Conglomerates" Under the Previous Administration
Move Seen as Response to Corporate Efforts in Korea-U.S. Customs Negotiations

The Democratic Party of Korea has reached a consensus to refrain from summoning conglomerate leaders as witnesses or references during this year's National Assembly audit. It is reported that the party leadership has agreed to approach the audit and related matters in a manner befitting the ruling party.

A Democratic Party official stated on the 23rd, "Representative Jung Chungrae and Floor Leader Kim Byungki said a few days before the government questioning session, after the regular session of the National Assembly began, that we should not forget we are the ruling party and should act accordingly during both the government questioning and the audit." The official added, "Minimizing the summoning of conglomerate leaders as witnesses or references is an extension of these remarks," and explained, "Since we have been instructed to prepare for the audit in this context, this approach is likely being implemented in the preparation process as well."

Kim Kyunghoon, President of Google Korea, is responding to a lawmaker's question at the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee's comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance held on October 28 last year. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Every year, the issue of summoning conglomerate leaders as witnesses or references during the National Assembly audit has been a subject of controversy. There has been an invisible power struggle between lawmakers seeking to summon them and companies trying to avoid it. In particular, during the previous administration, the Democratic Party, as the majority in the National Assembly, continued to face criticism for summoning numerous conglomerate leaders as witnesses, with accusations of targeting large corporations, conducting performative audits, and using witnesses as a display.

In this year's audit, the first since the launch of the new administration, the Democratic Party is forming a consensus on the need to fulfill its role as the ruling party, as symbolized by the key phrase "befitting the ruling party," to ensure more stable governance. Some view the move to refrain from summoning corporate leaders as witnesses as a gesture of appreciation for the efforts companies have made in matters such as the South Korea-U.S. customs negotiations.