Pre-Assembly 'D-day' Tensions..."Law Committee Solo Election" vs "General Assembly Absence"

There Was Much Talk Between Ruling and Opposition Parties but No Cooperation... No Agreement Reached on the Judiciary Committee Chair
Speaker Park Byeong-seok to Hold Plenary Session at 2 PM... Ruling Party Likely to Confirm Judiciary, Budget, and Planning Committees First

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin, Won Dara, Lim Chunhan] On the afternoon of the 12th, the possibility of the ruling party unilaterally electing the standing committee chairpersons in the plenary session increased. Although the 'deadline' for the organization of the National Assembly proposed by Speaker Park Byeong-seok is approaching, the ruling and opposition parties have not narrowed their differences.

The floor leaders of both parties attempted negotiations by meeting in the morning and afternoon the previous day but failed. Even though Speaker Park intervened as a mediator on this day, neither side made any concessions over the position of the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Earlier, the Democratic Party of Korea proposed to the United Future Party in the morning that if they conceded the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, they would grant the chairmanships of the Special Budget and Accounts Committee, the Political Affairs Committee, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, the Education Committee, and the Environment and Labor Committee. However, the United Future Party ultimately rejected this. The Democratic Party claims, "The ruling and opposition leadership reached an agreement, but the United Future Party failed to get approval from their party caucus," whereas the United Future Party argues, "The Democratic Party proposed it, but it was not discussed in the party caucus," leading to conflicting statements.

Speaker Park has stated that if the parties fail to reach an agreement, he will convene a plenary session on the 12th. It is reported that he reiterated his intention to hold the plenary session during meetings with the floor leaders of both parties on this day.

The Democratic Party also shows a strong will to elect the standing committee chairpersons unilaterally if necessary. Democratic Party leader Lee Hae-chan attended the Supreme Council meeting on this day and said, "It seems there is no more time to negotiate and discuss," adding, "If we can no longer expect reasonable negotiations with the United Future Party, we will carry out our position."

In the plenary session scheduled for 2 p.m. on this day, the Democratic Party is likely to elect only some of the 18 standing committee chairpersons. The most contentious positions?the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Chairperson of the Budget and Accounts Committee who will review the supplementary budget (추경), and the Chairperson of the Strategy and Finance Committee?are expected to be confirmed first.

Subsequently, negotiations with the United Future Party over the remaining standing committee chairpersons are expected to continue. The strategy appears to be to secure the major standing committee chairpersons first and then, through additional negotiations, finalize a distribution where the ruling party holds 11 chairmanships and the United Future Party holds 7, according to the proportion of seats. The Democratic Party maintains that there is no procedural problem since the National Assembly Act stipulates that standing committee chairpersons are elected by members' votes in the plenary session.

However, the United Future Party warns that if the Democratic Party unilaterally elects the standing committee chairpersons, the National Assembly will face a deadlock and is standing firm against it.

Floor leader Joo said on KBS radio in the morning, "Distributing standing committee chairpersons according to seat proportions and the opposition holding the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is not a precedent but a principle," adding, "Even if it takes some time, if we negotiate well, it will be a cooperative legislature for four years, but if it is formed unilaterally, it will be a legislature full of conflict and disputes for four years."

The United Future Party has decided to boycott the plenary session. Only Kim Seong-won, the deputy floor leader, will enter the plenary hall to make a procedural protest speech and then leave.

They have also refused additional negotiations over the remaining standing committee chairperson positions. Floor leader Joo said, "We will no longer engage in additional negotiations. Additional negotiations might be understood as progress, but (the ruling party) has only threatened us," adding, "From the beginning, their stance was 'the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is mine,' and they intend to take it by force; this is not negotiation."

Three-term lawmakers who usually take standing committee chairmanships also issued a statement on this day, saying, "If the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chairmanship is forced, we will give up all standing committee chairmanships," preparing for a last stand.

However, realistically, they lack the power to block the vote, and since they cannot resume the already ineffective outside protests, future National Assembly activities are expected to be difficult. Floor leader Joo said, "For us, there is no choice but to be trampled upon."

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