"No More Cards to Concede"... Democratic Party Decides to Push Ahead with Plenary Session

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Kang Nahum and Won Dara] As negotiations for the parliamentary organization between the ruling and opposition parties have effectively failed, the Democratic Party of Korea decided on the 12th to forcibly elect the standing committee chairpersons during the plenary session.

Kim Young-jin, the Democratic Party's senior deputy floor leader, held a press briefing that morning and stated, "The Democratic Party will no longer cling to the stalled negotiations," adding, "We will conclude the negotiations today and hold the plenary session to organize the parliamentary committees as planned."

The floor leaders of both parties met in the morning and afternoon the previous day to attempt negotiations but failed to reach an agreement. Although Speaker Park intervened as a mediator until today, the prevailing view is that the possibility of a dramatic resolution is low. This is because neither side is willing to concede even an inch over the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Kim said, "We proposed to the United Future Party a plan to significantly concede the Budget and Accounts Committee, Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, Political Affairs Committee, Education Committee, Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs and Oceans Committee, and Environment and Labor Committee," adding, "Nevertheless, the United Future Party decided to reject this plan at their party meeting. The United Future Party's repeated obstruction of state affairs is extremely regrettable."

He continued, "Reflecting the will of the general election and in the spirit of cooperation and coexistence, we made significant concessions by assigning the Budget and Accounts Committee to the opposition and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the ruling party. (With the breakdown of negotiations) the Democratic Party has no more cards to concede."

For now, the Democratic Party submitted the list of standing committee members according to the adjustment plan for the number of standing committees passed in the plenary session on the 10th. They plan to elect the standing committee chairpersons based on this list.

However, it is still uncertain whether the Democratic Party will monopolize all 18 standing committee chair positions. Considering further negotiations, there is also speculation that only the chairpersons of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Budget and Accounts Committee, and Strategy and Finance Committee?necessary for the swift passage of the third supplementary budget?will be elected first.

When asked whether all 18 standing committee chairpersons would be elected, Kim avoided a specific answer, saying, "That is a matter for the Speaker of the National Assembly to decide."

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