Kwon Seong-dong 'Negative' on Ruling and Opposition Meeting... "No Possibility of Agreement" (Comprehensive)

"Inappropriate to Stage a Show"
Democratic Party's Plan to Convene July Extraordinary Session Called a 'Signal for the Restart of Legislative Dictatorship'

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering opening remarks at the party's strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Bo-ryeong] Amid the 'strong vs. strong' confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over the second half of the National Assembly's organization, the People Power Party expressed a negative stance on meeting with the Democratic Party of Korea, citing a 'low possibility of reaching an agreement.'

On the morning of the 28th, after the party floor meeting held at the National Assembly, People Power Party floor leader Kwon Seong-dong responded to reporters' questions about plans to contact the opposition by saying, "If we meet without accepting their demands, they will criticize us by saying 'Are you putting on a show?' and if we don't meet, they will criticize us by saying 'What did the floor leader do?' Either way, we will be criticized, so meeting now is meaningless. There is absolutely no possibility of a settlement."

He continued, "During contacts between the chief deputy floor leaders, the Democratic Party set two conditions: agreeing to form the Special Committee on Judicial Reform and withdrawing the part our party filed with the Constitutional Court," adding, "They told us not to contact them if we cannot accept these two conditions."

He also emphasized, "Meeting and contacting each other is not difficult, but I am skeptical that the Democratic Party will seriously engage in negotiations on the organization of the National Assembly under the current circumstances, so I believe putting on such a show is inappropriate."

When asked about countermeasures if the Democratic Party unilaterally elects the chairpersons, he replied, "My decision to go as a special envoy was made three weeks ago and was already made public a week ago," adding, "I believe it is fundamentally improper political conduct to run the National Assembly unilaterally in the absence of the ruling party floor leader." Kwon Seong-dong will depart this afternoon as part of President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'Special Envoy Delegation for the Philippine President's Inauguration Ceremony.'

Regarding the Democratic Party's insistence that hearings must be held for two ministerial candidates, he said, "In the current National Assembly situation, the Democratic Party can do anything," adding, "Except for changing a man into a woman, the Democratic Party can do anything if they set their mind to it. That much they hold an absolute majority of seats."

Along with this, Kwon Seong-dong harshly criticized the Democratic Party's plan to convene a July extraordinary session of the National Assembly, calling it a 'signal for the restart of legislative dictatorship.' At the floor meeting that day, he said, "There has never been a single case of convening a plenary session unilaterally without bipartisan agreement. If the Democratic Party unilaterally convenes a plenary session, it will be a signal for the restart of legislative dictatorship," and added, "It tramples on the spirit of cooperation that our National Assembly has upheld."

Kwon Seong-dong said, "Even after being consecutively judged by the people in the presidential and local elections, the Democratic Party still seems unaware of the fear of public sentiment," adding, "They said they would reform, but it was a deception. If the Democratic Party again engages in legislative rampage and obstructs the government at every turn, the government will not be able to work properly, and the people's livelihood will face a greater crisis."

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