One Day Before the New Assembly Formation... Ruling and Opposition Parties Still Running on Parallel Lines

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] With the plenary session for the 21st National Assembly's organization just one day away, the ruling and opposition parties remain at an impasse over the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

According to political circles on the 14th, Speaker Park Byeong-seok extended the negotiation deadline between the ruling and opposition parties until the 15th, but no negotiation meeting was arranged even by the morning of that day.

The key issue in the organizational negotiations is the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Previously, the Democratic Party proposed to take the Legislation and Judiciary Committee while conceding seven major standing committee chair positions, including the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, and the Political Affairs Committee, to the United Future Party. However, this proposal was rejected at the United Future Party's parliamentary meeting and fell through.

For now, the Democratic Party is considering a plan to gradually elect chairpersons starting with the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Budget and Accounts Committee, and the Strategy and Finance Committee?committees necessary for the passage of the third supplementary budget bill?at the plenary session on the 15th if no conclusion is reached during negotiations on the 14th. A Democratic Party official stated, "We requested Speaker Park to put the agenda for electing standing committee chairpersons on the plenary session agenda even if the United Future Party does not agree."

Rookie lawmakers from the pro-government camp have also joined calls for resuming negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties. Fifty-three first-term lawmakers from the Democratic Party, Open Democratic Party, and Basic Income Party held a press conference at the National Assembly on the day, asserting that "as promised to the people, all standing committee chairpersons must be elected and committee organization finalized at the plenary session on the 15th."

They said, "It has already been 16 days since the 21st National Assembly, which pledged to be a 'working parliament,' began. However, the National Assembly still cannot function. The people are bearing all the damage," adding, "If the United Future Party does not take steps to normalize the National Assembly, our party will have no choice but to take the lead in restoring its normal operation."

However, the United Future Party maintains a hardline stance, saying, "There will be no dialogue until the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is recognized as the opposition's share." In a statement the previous day, the party said, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee is not a subject for negotiation. The ruling party should stop holding the people and the nation hostage for the sake of preserving the Moon Jae-in administration and its survival," adding, "Without a change in the Democratic Party's position, negotiations can never resume."

With such hardline positions clashing, it is expected that reaching an agreement on the organization will not be easy. However, it is reported that the floor leaders of both parties continue behind-the-scenes negotiations via phone calls, raising the possibility of a dramatic agreement just before the plenary session.

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