[Comprehensive] After Persuasion by Kim Tae-nyeon... Kim Yong-gyun's Mother Asks, "Why Does Only This Law Need the Opposition?"

Kim Won-nae Representative Visits Hunger Strike Site Urging Enactment of Serious Accident Punishment Act on 24th
"Hunger Strike Will End When the Legislation Committee Subcommittee Meets," Persuades
Kim Yong-gyun's Mother Responds, "Will Continue Until Passage in the Plenary Session"

Kim Tae-nyeon, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited the Justice Party's protest site in front of the National Assembly main building on the morning of the 24th, where they were staging a sit-in demanding the enactment of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] On the 24th, Kim Tae-nyeon, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, visited the Justice Party's hunger strike site in front of the National Assembly main building. Kim tried to persuade Kim Misook, chairperson of the Kim Yong-gyun Foundation and mother of the late Kim Yong-gyun, who is currently on a hunger strike, by saying that "the passage of the bill is delayed because the opposition party is not cooperating," but Chairperson Kim rebutted, saying, "Hasn't the ruling party passed the bills it wanted unilaterally until now?"

On the same day, Floor Leader Kim visited the Justice Party's hunger strike site urging the enactment of the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act and met with Justice Party Floor Leader Kang Eun-mi and Chairperson Kim.

Kim Tae-nyeon persuaded Chairperson Kim, saying, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee subcommittee is about to convene, so please end the hunger strike now."

However, when Chairperson Kim responded, "I will stay here until the bill passes the plenary session," Kim said, "Now that the bill review has started, do you know when it will pass the plenary session?"

In response, Chairperson Kim argued, "The reason we started this hunger strike is to see it through to the end," adding, "Isn't it true that many discussions have been held but ended in failure?"

Kim Tae-nyeon explained, "It must not fail. It just takes some time for discussion," and added, "Since the procedure has started, we will do our best to review it, but the opposition party is effectively refusing to review it, which creates many adverse conditions." He emphasized, "I will also do my best to persuade the opposition party as much as possible."

Lee Sang-jin, Vice Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (from the left), Lee Yong-gwan, father of the late PD Lee Han-bit, and Kim Mi-sook, mother of the late Kim Yong-gyun and director of the Kim Yong-gyun Foundation, have been on a hunger strike for 14 days at the protest site in front of the National Assembly main building on the 24th, urging the enactment of the Serious Accident Corporate Punishment Act. / Photo by Yonhap News

However, Chairperson Kim urged, "Until now, hasn't the ruling party passed all the bills? Many bills have been passed, so why must this bill require the opposition party? If those people don't come in, please just let the ruling party handle it."

Earlier, from the 9th to the 14th, the Democratic Party processed the Act on Prohibition of Leaflet Distribution to North Korea (Amendment to the Act on the Development of Inter-Korean Relations), the Act on the Establishment of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, and the National Intelligence Service Act amendments at the plenary session of the National Assembly. Chairperson Kim's remarks are interpreted as urging the swift passage of the Serious Accident Act, as relatively contentious bills have been processed smoothly so far.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee held a bill review subcommittee on the morning of the 24th to discuss the Serious Accident Act. This is the first time the Serious Accident Act has been reviewed in the 21st National Assembly.

Yoon Ho-jung, chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party, told reporters, "We proposed to the People Power Party to complete the consultation process today and open the subcommittee starting tomorrow," and indicated a willingness to push forward, saying, "If they refuse despite attempts to negotiate, there is nothing we can do."

He added, "Since this is an enactment law, there are many matters to review," and explained, "It is not something that can be done in a day or two; the subcommittee will need to be held two or three times."

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at a press briefing held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the 23rd. / Photo by Yonhap News

On the other hand, the People Power Party insists that the Democratic Party must present a unified bill before participating in discussions. Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at a press briefing on the 23rd, "There are several bills, and the Democratic Party has submitted three alone," emphasizing, "The Democratic Party must first create a unified bill for us to participate in the discussion."

On the 24th, members of the People Power Party belonging to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's 1st Bill Review Subcommittee issued a statement criticizing, "The Democratic Party and the Justice Party are showing a brazen attitude by blaming the People Power Party for delaying the Serious Accident Act," and added, "They are wasting time by submitting various bills that do not even fit the system, as the Legislative Office pointed out, and discussing them in a disorderly manner."

They further stated, "If the Democratic Party publicly presents a proper unified bill, we will gladly participate in the bill review," and added, "Rather than urging the Justice Party to push the main opposition party to participate in the bill review, it is a priority to urge the government and the Democratic Party to clarify whether they have the will and sincerity to enact the bill."

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