First Filibuster Presided Over by a Standing Committee Chair from 10 p.m. on the 25th
Shin Junghoon, Chairman of the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea (representing Naju and Hwasun), presided over the filibuster (unlimited debate) held in the plenary chamber of the National Assembly starting at 10:00 p.m. on the 25th. This marks the first case in which a standing committee chair has conducted a filibuster upon designation by the Speaker, following the amendment to the National Assembly Act that passed the plenary session in January.
The recently implemented amendment to the National Assembly Act stipulates that, if a Vice Speaker refuses to proceed with a filibuster, the Speaker of the National Assembly may transfer the authority to preside over the plenary session to a standing committee chair or others.
This amendment was promoted and came to be known as the so-called "Joo Ho-young Prevention Act" after National Assembly Vice Speaker Joo Ho-young repeatedly refused to preside over filibusters late last year, sparking controversy over him being solely responsible for presiding duties.
Accordingly, with Public Administration and Security Committee Chairman Shin Junghoon becoming the first standing committee chair to preside over a filibuster in a plenary session, this has become a symbolic case in which the revised National Assembly Act is put into actual operation on the floor for the first time.
Chairman Shin stated, "The filibuster is a system designed to keep the tyranny of the majority in check and to fully bring minority opinions to light," adding, "In line with the intent of the revised National Assembly Act, I will conduct the plenary session in a fair and neutral manner so that no lawmaker from either the ruling or opposition parties is discriminated against and everyone can fully exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to speak."
Chairman Shin also stressed, "We must not repeat the scene where the National Assembly became a laughingstock because the Vice Speaker evaded responsibility and left the chair," and added, "In this filibuster, I will firmly establish the principle that the Speaker’s office and the standing committee chairs share responsibility and that the National Assembly is run according to rules grounded in law."
This filibuster will begin with the introduction of the third amendment to the Commercial Act, and is expected to be followed by clashes between the ruling and opposition parties over contentious bills, including judicial reform legislation and bills related to administrative integration of Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.
With Chairman Shin Junghoon presiding, attention is focusing on how the amended National Assembly Act will function in practice on the floor, and whether, going forward, the culture of filibusters can take root as a forum for substantive debate rather than a "show for political strife."
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