No Agreement Reached on Key Bills
People Power Party: "Filibuster Will Continue"
The floor leadership of both the ruling and opposition parties has reached an agreement to extend the term of the Special Committee on Pension Reform (Pension Committee) and to form the Special Committee on Political Reform (Political Reform Committee). However, as differences over key legislative bills, including the judicial reform bills promoted by the Democratic Party, remain unresolved, the People Power Party has decided to maintain its strategy of responding with a filibuster (unlimited debate).
On December 10, Kim Byungki, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party, Moon Jinseok, Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Operations, Song Eonseok, Floor Leader of the People Power Party, and Yoo Sangbeom, Senior Deputy Floor Leader for Operations, met at the office of the Chair of the Steering Committee in the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido. They agreed to extend the term of the Pension Committee, to form the Political Reform Committee, and to establish a special committee for the confirmation hearing of the Chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection.
After the meeting, Senior Deputy Floor Leader Moon told reporters, "We have agreed to put the extension of the Pension Committee's term on the agenda for tomorrow (the 11th), and to operate the Political Reform Committee until the local elections." The Political Reform Committee will be composed of a total of 18 members: 9 from the Democratic Party, 8 from the People Power Party, and 1 from a minor negotiation group.
However, as no agreement was reached on the key legislative bills promoted by the ruling party, the opposition plans to carry out a filibuster on every item submitted to the plenary session. After the meeting, Senior Deputy Floor Leader Moon told reporters, "We requested the suspension of filibusters on livelihood and non-controversial bills, but the opposition maintained that they have no other choice but to proceed with the filibuster."
Senior Deputy Floor Leader Yoo stated, "From the perspective of the People Power Party, we have been conducting a filibuster to block the five major judicial destruction bills and the three major gag bills, as these have not been resolved." He added, "As long as these related bills remain unresolved, we have no choice but to continue the filibuster." The Democratic Party plans to submit amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, the Banking Act, and the Police Officers’ Performance of Duties Act to the plenary session scheduled for the 11th.
Previously, the People Power Party had announced that if the Democratic Party pushed ahead with the passage of 10 key bills-including the Act on the Establishment of a Special Court for Insurrection Cases, the Act on the Introduction of the Crime of Distorting the Law (amendment to the Criminal Act), and the Act to Strengthen Filibuster Requirements (amendment to the National Assembly Act)-they would also launch filibusters on about 60 non-controversial bills. As a result of the failure to reach an agreement today, the processing of non-controversial bills is expected to be delayed.
Meanwhile, the bill to strengthen filibuster requirements, which the Rebuilding Korea Party opposes, is unlikely to be passed within the year. Senior Deputy Floor Leader Moon stated, "Since the Rebuilding Korea Party is opposed, further discussions will be necessary."
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