Park Byeong-seok Sets Deadline for Committee Formation: "Submit Standing Committee List by the 12th"

by Kang Nahum

Published 08 Jun.2020 18:02(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seok has demanded that the ruling and opposition floor leaders submit the list of standing committee members by the 12th. This effectively set the deadline for the negotiation of the National Assembly organization to the 12th.

Han Minsu, the chief secretary for public relations of the National Assembly, told reporters on the afternoon of the 8th, right after the meeting between Speaker Park and the floor leaders of both parties, "Speaker Park requested the floor leaders of both parties to submit the list of standing committee appointments by the morning of the 12th, and said that a plenary session will be held at 2 p.m. on the 12th."

Han added, "(The Speaker) also asked the floor leaders of both parties to continue negotiations to reach an agreement on the distribution of standing committee chairpersons even while holding meetings related to the revision of the rules on the number of standing committee members, and the floor leaders of both parties readily agreed to do so."

The ruling and opposition parties, which had been at an impasse over the organization of the 21st National Assembly, agreed at the previous meeting to first discuss the issue of the number of standing committee members allocated to each party. At the plenary session held immediately afterward, the formation of a related special committee was approved. This bought additional time to negotiate the key issue of the distribution of standing committee chairpersons.

Fearing that discussions might be delayed due to the special committee being used as leverage, both parties plan to hold a plenary session at 2 p.m. on the 10th to process the "Revision of the Rules on the Number of Standing Committee Members."