United Future Party Fails to Reach Quorum, Standing National Committee Meeting Canceled... Cannot Change Emergency Committee Term (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] The launch of the United Future Party's 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' has been stalled. The Standing National Committee could not be held due to a lack of quorum. If the upcoming National Committee meeting also fails to meet the quorum, the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' is expected to be effectively canceled.

The United Future Party had scheduled the Standing National Committee at 2 p.m. on the 28th at the 63 Convention Center in Yeouido, Seoul, but failed to achieve a quorum and thus could not convene. Around 2:30 p.m., National Chairman Jeong Woo-taek came to the meeting room and said, "The Standing National Committee has 45 members, but currently it is not meeting the majority quorum," adding, "After comprehensive consideration, it seems difficult to hold the first Standing National Committee." Seventeen members attended the Standing National Committee that day.

The Standing National Committee was scheduled to amend the party constitution. This was a preparatory step to avoid fixing the term of the 'Kim Jong-in Emergency Response Committee' until the end of August. According to Article 2, Clause 2 of the party constitution's supplementary provisions, the United Future Party must hold a party convention by the end of August to form a new leadership. Even if the Emergency Response Committee is launched, it would be a time-limited committee with a fixed end date. Therefore, former General Election Committee Chairman Kim requested as a condition for acceptance that no term limit be imposed, and the United Future Party planned to add a clause stating that this would not apply if an Emergency Response Committee is established.

However, with the Standing National Committee canceled, the amendment to the party constitution also failed. Even if the appointment of Kim Jong-in as Emergency Response Committee Chairman is approved as an agenda item at the National Committee, the term would still be limited until the end of August.

With the Standing National Committee failing to convene, there are also prospects that the National Committee meeting will be difficult to hold. Chairman Jeong said, "I think it will be difficult to hold the National Committee without the Standing National Committee being held," adding, "We will see if the quorum is met by 3 p.m. and then decide whether to hold the meeting."

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