Ruling and Opposition Clash Across Standing Committees... Effectively a 'Dongmulgukhoe'

Joo Ho-young and Yoon Ho-jung Shake Hands... Chairman's Seat 'Tak Tak Tak'
Ruling Party Rapidly Passes Commercial Act Amendment
Opposition Shouts "Dictatorship" Pressuring Democratic Party

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The Democratic Party of Korea unilaterally processed key contentious bills, including the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (HCIO) Act, in the standing committee, leading to clashes in various places and creating a situation reminiscent of the 'Animal National Assembly' during last year's fast-track political turmoil.

On the morning of the 8th, the Democratic Party held consecutive meetings of the Judiciary Committee's agenda adjustment subcommittee and the full committee to push through the amendment to the HCIO Act. In particular, in the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, members of the People Power Party disrupted the proceedings with harsh remarks and loud voices, even preventing the chairman from striking the gavel. Although the People Power Party resisted with picketing and other actions, they failed to block the bill's approval. During this process, People Power Party lawmaker Jo Soo-jin loudly protested in front of Democratic Party lawmaker Baek Hye-ryun, who was reporting on the review content, and even twisted the microphone Baek was using. Judiciary Committee Chairman Yoon Ho-jung dropped the gavel held in his right hand after People Power Party floor leader Joo Ho-young grabbed his arm, and instead tapped the chairman's desk with his left hand.

In the afternoon, the Judiciary Committee swiftly processed the amendment to the Commercial Act relaxing the 3% rule, the amendment to the National Intelligence Service Act transferring major criminal investigation authority to the police, the law banning the distribution of leaflets to North Korea, and the law penalizing distortion of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. A hostile atmosphere was also created at this time. About 30 People Power Party lawmakers, including floor leader Joo, shouted slogans such as "Those who rise by dictatorship fall by dictatorship" in the Judiciary Committee meeting room to pressure the Democratic Party.

Chairman Yoon said, "This is a direct violation of the National Assembly's Advancement Act. People Power Party members, please leave. I may request the exercise of order maintenance rights," and added, "Not a single stroke of the National Assembly Act has been violated. Those who have sucked the honey of dictatorship all their lives and now accuse the opposing party of dictatorship are truly exhibiting a dogmatic behavior." He further stated, "To prevent such actions from recurring, the fast-track case must be strictly judged by the court."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee on the same day, two of the three economic bills promoted by the Democratic Party?the Fair Trade Act and the Financial Group Supervision Act?were passed, along with a bill extending the activity period of the Special Investigation Commission on Social Disasters (SICSD) by one year and six months. Lawmakers from the People Power Party and the People Party walked out during the meeting, questioning the procedural legitimacy of the committee's operation. Outside the meeting room, People Power Party lawmakers criticized, "They hastily processed the bill without even using 90 minutes, let alone the maximum 90 days for the agenda adjustment committee's activity period," calling it a "destruction of the spirit of democratic consensus."

In the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee, in the early morning of the 9th, the amendments to the Labor Union Act, Public Officials Union Act, and Teachers Union Act for ratifying the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions were forwarded to the plenary session. People Power Party lawmakers did not attend, and Justice Party lawmaker Kang Eun-mi was the only opposition member present. Lawmaker Kang argued, "The ILO three laws are very important to workers, so why is the Democratic Party trying to hastily process the bills at dawn like a theft?" and insisted on the need for in-depth discussion on the union laws, but her request was not accepted.

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