Joo Ho-young: "I cannot cooperate in making a bad law"
Woo Won-shik: "An anti-parliamentarian who obstructs the operation of the National Assembly"
The Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party avoided an unprecedented situation of halting the filibuster (unlimited debate) on December 24, following a request to resume the plenary session at the National Assembly. However, Speaker Woo Won-shik strongly criticized Deputy Speaker Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party, who said, "I cannot cooperate in making a bad law," by calling him an "anti-parliamentarian," which has further deepened the discord. Moreover, as the bill to end the filibuster (the amendment to the National Assembly Act) is scheduled to be introduced at the plenary session, aftereffects are expected to continue.
Speaker Woo and Deputy Speaker Lee Hakyoung of the Democratic Party presided over the filibuster on the Fake News Eradication Act (partial amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection) held at the plenary session of the National Assembly from the previous day through today.
Speaker Woo, citing accumulated fatigue just before the filibuster on the amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act the previous day, asked Deputy Speaker Joo to take over as chair from 11 p.m.
However, Deputy Speaker Joo reaffirmed his refusal to preside through his social networking service (SNS), stating, "I cannot cooperate in making a bad law that directly goes against democracy."
Both parties, considering the possibility of the filibuster being halted, notified their members to convene in the plenary chamber. As consensus formed around the need to continue the filibuster, Speaker Woo accepted this position as well.
Speaker Woo Won-shik expressed regret over Deputy Speaker Joo Ho-young's refusal to take over the chairmanship, citing accumulated fatigue from the 12-hour unlimited debate (filibuster) chaired by Deputy Speaker Lee Hak-young during the plenary session held at the National Assembly on the 23rd. 2025.12.23 Photo by Kim Hyun-min
On the other hand, Speaker Woo strongly criticized Deputy Speaker Joo, saying, "(Deputy Speaker Joo) has nothing to do with parliamentarianism," and added, "Choosing to fulfill responsibilities only when it suits him, and shirking them when it does not, is nothing but anti-parliamentarian behavior that obstructs the operation of the National Assembly." This has further deepened the conflict.
Furthermore, as the bill to restrict filibusters, which passed the National Assembly Steering Committee on December 3 under the leadership of the ruling party, has been referred to the plenary session, confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to resume as early as the plenary session anticipated on January 20.
The filibuster restriction bill stipulates that if one-fifth of the registered members are absent from the chamber during a filibuster, the Speaker may terminate the debate and assign the chairmanship to a designated member.
Floor spokesperson Moon Geumjoo stated in a briefing that day, "The filibuster is a system guaranteed by the National Assembly Act, and presiding over it is a natural duty of the National Assembly leadership," adding, "It is self-contradictory to utilize the system and then refuse to carry out its proceedings, thereby undermining the order of the National Assembly."
In contrast, the opposition parties are objecting, arguing that the restriction of filibusters by minority parties and the possibility of debate control by ruling party members would work in favor of the ruling party.
Lee Hakyoung, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, is presiding over an unlimited debate on the partial amendment bill of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection at the plenary session of the December extraordinary session of the National Assembly held on the 24th. 2025.12.24 Photo by Kim Hyunmin
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