Han Byungdo Criticizes People Power Party Plenary Boycott: "Extremely Regrettable... A Hostage Drama with People's Livelihoods"

On February 12, Han Byungdo, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the People Power Party for boycotting the National Assembly plenary session, saying, "It is extremely regrettable that the agreement itself was not honored even before the ink on the (ruling and opposition) agreement had dried," and adding, "The Democratic Party will no longer tolerate the People Power Party's behavior of holding people's livelihoods hostage and staging a legislative hostage drama."

Yonhap News

Speaking to reporters after the plenary session that afternoon, Floor Leader Han said, "On the eve of Seol, the great traditional holiday of our nation, we condemn the ruthless behavior of the People Power Party, which has dashed the hopes of the people who had been waiting for signs of recovery in their livelihoods."

Earlier, the People Power Party had agreed with the Democratic Party to handle 81 bills at the plenary session that day. However, claiming that the ruling party had railroaded the Constitutional Complaint Act and other bills through the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly the previous night, it boycotted both the presidential luncheon meeting with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties and the plenary session scheduled for that day. As a result, the National Assembly, led by the Democratic Party, passed only 63 bills.

Regarding the bills that were not handled that day, Floor Leader Han said, "Because the Child Allowance Act, which expands benefits for children in regions with declining populations, has been blocked, 360,000 children are now at immediate risk of not receiving their allowances," and asked, "Does the People Power Party not hear the desperate voices of parents?"

He went on to cite the Information and Communications Network Act, the Digital Inclusion Act, and the Emergency Medical Services Act, saying, "Today, the People Power Party brutally betrayed its promise to the Democratic Party, its promise to the president, and, above all, its promise to the people," and pointing out, "The 18 bills that did not pass today are the same bills that the People Power Party halted with a filibuster in December of last year."

Regarding the People Power Party's repeated boycotts, Floor Leader Han said, "This is a rude and lawless act of voluntarily abandoning its role as a partner in state affairs," and added, "At a time when we should be unconditionally joining forces to restore the real economy and people's livelihoods, one cannot help but ask whether the People Power Party is truly looking to the people."