'Popular Standing Committee' Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee Includes Jin Sun-mi and Jo Eung-cheon... No Members from TK and PK Regions

Lee Nak-yeon on Foreign Affairs Committee, Yoon Mi-hyang on Education Committee... Park Yong-jin Preparing Commercial Act Amendment Bill on Political Affairs Committee
United Party Protests Standing Committee Chair Election and Refuses Standing Committee Negotiations

[Asia Economy Reporter Won Dara] The Democratic Party of Korea has pushed forward with the election of six standing committee chairpersons, accelerating the formation of the National Assembly and drawing attention to lawmakers belonging to the 'key' standing committees.

According to the National Assembly standing committee allocation plan on the 16th, the popular Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee was assigned five members from Gyeonggi Province, including Jin Sun-mi (Seoul Gangdong-gu Gap) and Cho Eung-cheon (Gyeonggi Namyangju-si Gap), four from Seoul, four from Chungcheong, one from Incheon, and three from Jeolla. However, no Democratic Party lawmakers from Daegu-Gyeongbuk or Busan-Gyeongnam regions were assigned to the Land Committee.

Along with the Land Committee, the traditionally popular Budget and Accounts Committee, which is advantageous for allocating constituency budgets, includes Lee Kwang-jae (Gangwon Wonju-si Gap), Lim Jong-sung (Gyeonggi Gwangju-si Eul), Yoon Young-chan (Gyeonggi Seongnam-si Jungwon-gu), and Kim Han-jung (Gyeonggi Namyangju-si Eul). The Industry, Trade and Energy Committee, classified as a popular committee related to 'jobs' such as regional industrial complexes and corporate policies, includes Kang Hoon-sik, Ko Min-jung, Jung Tae-ho, Hwang Un-ha, Kim Sung-hwan, and Lee Soo-jin.

The Political Affairs Committee, which attracts corporate interest, includes Kim Byung-wook, Lee Won-wook, Park Yong-jin, and Lee Yong-woo. Kim Byung-wook and Lee Won-wook have proposed amendments to the Fair Trade Act allowing corporate-led venture capital (CVC) by general holding companies. Park Yong-jin is preparing to propose amendments to the Commercial Act to prevent businesspersons convicted of embezzlement and breach of trust from maintaining director positions if shareholders recommend dismissal.

The Health and Welfare Committee, which became popular due to the COVID-19 pandemic, includes Kim Sung-joo, former chairman of the National Pension Service, and Shin Hyun-young, a physician. Han Jeong-ae, regarded as a 'labor issue expert' within the Democratic Party and active in the Environment and Labor Committee, will take the position of Welfare Committee chairperson. In the 21st National Assembly Welfare Committee, discussions on COVID-19 response and the introduction of nationwide employment insurance are expected to proceed in earnest.

Lee Nak-yeon, who aspired to join the relatively unpopular Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, was assigned to the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. The Foreign Affairs Committee is classified as a preferred committee for senior lawmakers. Yoon Mee-hyang, who has served as chairperson of the Justice and Memory Foundation and has been active in supporting comfort women victims, was assigned to the Education Committee instead of the Women and Family Committee, which oversees comfort women issues. Choi Kang-wook, leader of the Open Democratic Party who hoped to join the Judiciary Committee, was assigned to the Land Committee. However, since Kim Jin-ae, floor leader of the Open Democratic Party who wished to join the Land Committee, was assigned to the Judiciary Committee, there is analysis that Choi may enter through a swap. Meanwhile, the United Future Party is refusing to negotiate standing committee assignments in protest of the election of six standing committee chairpersons, including the Judiciary Committee chairperson, at the plenary session held the previous day.

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