Joo Ho-young Ends Seclusion Today and Returns... Uncertain If He Will Break the Deadlock on Assembly Formation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lim Chun-han] Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the United Future Party, will return to the National Assembly on the 24th, ending his 9-day seclusion. It is expected that he will also release a message regarding the negotiation of the committee organization later that afternoon. However, since there is still no narrowing of differences between the two parties over the committee organization, it is uncertain whether there will be any progress in the negotiations even after Joo’s return.

According to the United Future Party, Joo will come up to Seoul and return to the National Assembly that afternoon. It has been 9 days since he expressed his intention to resign in protest against the Democratic Party’s unilateral election of standing committee chairs on the 15th. As a Buddhist, Joo spent the time visiting temples in Honam, Chungcheong, and Gangwon provinces, reflecting during his seclusion.

On the 20th, Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the United Future Party, visited Beopjusa Temple in Songnisan to meet with Joo, and on the 23rd, Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party, visited Hwaamsa Temple in Goseong, Gangwon Province, for a meeting. The two had a nearly five-hour discussion about the committee organization but made no progress.

The United Future Party has criticized the Democratic Party’s unilateral election of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair and demanded its reversal, but the Democratic Party insists it can only concede seven standing committees divided according to the proportion of seats, so discussions between the two parties remain at an impasse. Since there has been little change in positions even by this day, it is uncertain whether the committee organization negotiations will open up even after Joo’s return.

Within the United Future Party, voices calling for a strong opposition party are growing louder. Representative Lee Myung-soo said at the United Future Party emergency committee meeting that morning, "At times like this, a strong opposition party is needed," adding, "I hope Floor Leader Joo returns early and properly re-establishes the image of a strong opposition party."

As the United Future Party warned, the possibility that the ruling party will monopolize all 18 standing committees cannot be ruled out. Even senior members of the United Future Party are reluctant to take on standing committee chair positions. Representative Cho Hae-jin of the United Future Party said in an interview with TBS Radio’s "Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory," "There is concern that the standing committee chairs will be unable to properly check the government and ruling party and will merely be figureheads when one-sided bills, budgets, and various agendas pass," adding that even third-term lawmakers, including himself, have the atmosphere of 'not wanting to do it.' Usually, standing committee chairs are held by senior lawmakers with three or more terms from each party.

As President Moon Jae-in emphasizes the passage of the supplementary budget (추경), there is also talk of a scenario where the Democratic Party elects only the budget committee chair separately and returns it to the opposition after handling the supplementary budget. Representative Seo Byung-soo of the United Future Party criticized, "The Democratic Party is leaking that they will monopolize the standing committees first and then give the opposition’s share after reviewing the supplementary budget," adding, "Since when did the standing committee chair positions become something the ruling party takes at will and then distributes?"

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