February Extraordinary National Assembly Session Opens... From Judge Impeachment to Compensation for Losses, Key Issues in Focus

National Assembly Main Chamber

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Ahead of the April by-elections for the Seoul and Busan mayoral offices, the ruling and opposition parties are expected to clash over key contentious bills such as the impeachment motion against judges and the compensation system for business losses of self-employed individuals during the February extraordinary session of the National Assembly.

On the afternoon of the 1st, Lee Tan-hee, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, will take the lead in proposing an impeachment motion against Im Seong-geun, the chief judge of the Busan High Court, who is involved in the 'judicial farming scandal.' In addition to the Democratic Party, lawmakers from the Justice Party and the Open Democratic Party, among other pro-government parties, have joined as co-sponsors.

In response, the People Power Party has strongly criticized it as a "posthumous impeachment." On the morning of the 1st, spokesperson Yoon Hee-seok stated in a commentary, "The impeachment of judges will become a means of threat and retaliation against judges who handed down rulings unfavorable to the ruling party, such as the leader of the Open Democratic Party, the governor of Gyeongnam Province, and former Minister Cho Kuk."

The legislative conflict between the ruling and opposition parties over the compensation system for business losses of self-employed individuals is also expected to be intense. Earlier, on the 22nd of last month, the Democratic Party held a supreme council meeting and announced its plan to legislate the 'Three Coexistence Solidarity Laws'?the Business Loss Compensation Act, the Cooperative Profit Sharing System, and the Social Solidarity Fund Act?during the February extraordinary session. On the 27th of last month, Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon expressed his legislative will at the party's supreme council meeting, saying, "We must institutionalize compensation for losses suffered by small business owners and self-employed individuals who endured great sacrifices during the quarantine process," and added, "Along with compensation for business restriction losses, we will realize the Three Coexistence Solidarity Laws, including the Cooperative Profit Sharing System and the Social Solidarity Fund."

Opposition lawmakers have also proposed numerous related bills, such as the 'State Compensation Act' and the 'Amendment to the Small Business Basic Act.' Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticized the Cooperative Profit Sharing System, saying, "There is no denying that it has a populist nature aimed at winning votes in the (April by-elections)." Kim Jong-in, emergency committee chairman of the People Power Party, said at a New Year's press conference on the 27th of last month, "The compensation system requires a decision by the president himself," and added, "Since the National Assembly is open, if the president makes a decision, securing the budget is possible."

Meanwhile, the February extraordinary session of the National Assembly will officially begin with the opening ceremony of the plenary session at 2 p.m. on the 1st. Subsequently, speeches by the representatives of the Democratic Party and the People Power Party negotiation groups will be held on the 2nd and 3rd, respectively. From the 4th, questioning of the government is scheduled to take place.

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