Conflict Between Ruling and Opposition Parties Over the Chairman of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee... Is 'Weakening the Committee's Power' a Solution?

Han Byung-do Proposes National Assembly Act Weakening the Legislative Inspection Authority of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] As the ruling and opposition parties have been struggling for a year over who should take the position of the Chairperson of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee, attention is focused on whether a plan to reduce the committee's authority itself will provide a breakthrough.

Han Byung-do, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (left), and Choo Kyung-ho, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party, are meeting on the 5th at the National Assembly to discuss the agenda for the July extraordinary session. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to political circles on the 6th, Han Byung-do, the senior deputy floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, proposed a bill to the National Assembly the day before that limits the scope of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's systematic and grammatical review to the form and terminology of laws, and allows the relevant standing committee to submit the bill to the plenary session if the Legislation and Judiciary Committee delays for more than 50 days under the pretext of systematic and grammatical review. Until now, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee has dominated other standing committees based on its systematic and grammatical review authority, but this bill significantly reduces such power.

This could serve as a compromise plan for the Democratic Party to hand over the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the opposition party. So far, the Democratic Party has been concerned that handing over the chairmanship to the opposition would disrupt legislation. On the other hand, the opposition has insisted that at least the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee should be from the opposition to provide minimal checks on the opposition's bills.

Many bills have been proposed to reduce the functions and powers of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. However, Han's proposal allows the committee to retain some review authority over bills from other standing committees. If Han's proposal passes, even if the opposition takes the chairmanship, a certain level of bill oversight will be guaranteed. Accordingly, the opposition has stated it will observe any changes in the ruling party's stance. Choo Kyung-ho, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, said in a phone interview with this paper, "First of all, the Democratic Party should hand over the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the opposition," but added, "If there is a bill (to limit the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's systematic and grammatical review authority) in the National Assembly, we can discuss it." This leaves open the possibility of legislative amendment discussions.

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