Lee Inyoung: "Will Request Plenary Session Tomorrow... Liberty Korea Party Must Join Forces for Livelihood Reforms"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy, reporter Lee Jieun] Lee Inyoung, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced that he would request the convening of a plenary session on January 6 to bring livelihood and reform bills to the floor, urging the Liberty Korea Party to join forces in passing legislation related to people's livelihoods.

During a press briefing held on this day, Lee stated, "We will complete the legislative process for prosecutorial reform, including the remaining adjustment of investigative powers between the police and the prosecution, thus fulfilling the spirit of prosecutorial reform for the first time in decades."

He added, "I am in a hurry to pass the livelihood bills that were not dealt with last year before the Lunar New Year, to provide even a little help to the lives of ordinary people and the middle class. Although there have been some efforts to open a new path for agreement between the ruling and opposition parties during the year-end and New Year period, there is still a long way to go, and the divide remains deep, making it difficult to reach a new consensus."

He also called on the Liberty Korea Party, which has been taking a confrontational stance on major issues, to come to the negotiating table. Lee said, "The public is demanding that, now that the election law and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) Act have been passed, the political strife should end and efforts should be united toward livelihood reforms. At this crucial moment, it is truly frustrating that the Liberty Korea Party is holding outdoor rallies from the very beginning of the new year and only repeating its hardline stance."

He continued, "For a party that claims to uphold parliamentary democracy, making every effort to negotiate and reach agreements within the National Assembly is not optional but obligatory. It is deeply regrettable that the Liberty Korea Party is so active in outdoor rallies but passive when it comes to negotiations and agreements."

Lee Inyoung stated, "If it is not possible to complete reform and livelihood legislation through agreement with the Liberty Korea Party, there is no other choice in this situation but to seek a majority agreement through the 4+1 coalition. In particular, the final procedures for prosecutorial reform legislation, which began with the passage of the CIO Act, cannot be postponed indefinitely. Tomorrow, I will fully explain the negotiation process to the Speaker and request the convening of a plenary session."

However, regarding which of the bills-adjustment of investigative powers between the police and prosecution, the Criminal Procedure Act, or the Prosecutors' Office Act-should be voted on first, further review is planned. Lee Inyoung said, "If, in any case, the Liberty Korea Party requests unlimited debate, we will participate in the filibuster, but as soon as the session ends, we will convene another extraordinary session to put the bills to a vote without delay." He also stated that if the Liberty Korea Party proceeds with another filibuster, the Democratic Party will also engage in debate in support of the bills.

Lee Inyoung emphasized, "We will press ahead with prosecutorial reform without hesitation. Before the Lunar New Year, we will accelerate our efforts and do our utmost to resolve not only the tasks of reform legislation, which have been delayed and held hostage by political strife, but also the pending livelihood bills. Regarding this, we will humbly let the public judge in the general election whose political choices were right or wrong." He also warned that any acts of occupying the plenary hall or obstructing proceedings through violence would be met with a firm response.

Regarding the passage of livelihood bills, he called for the lifting of the filibuster (unlimited debate as a legal means of obstructing proceedings). Lee Inyoung said, "I urge the immediate lifting of the filibuster on the numerous 184 livelihood and economic bills. I must ask once again whether it is right to put the unlimited debate label on livelihood bills that have nothing to do with political strife and use them as hostages for political confrontation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.