Ruling Party Criticizes Solo Passage of Agricultural Grain Management Act as an Attempt to Cover Lee Jae-myung's Judicial Crisis

"Stop Unilateral and Hasty Implementation and Cooperate on Structural Solutions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] The Democratic Party of Korea unilaterally passed an amendment to the Grain Management Act mandating the isolation of the rice market at the Agenda Coordination Committee of the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee on the 12th, prompting immediate backlash from the People Power Party lawmakers.

People Power Party members of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee issued a statement immediately after the committee's resolution, saying, “We cannot help but ask who this Grain Management Act amendment, unilaterally passed by the Democratic Party at the Agenda Coordination Committee, truly serves,” and directly criticized, “Is this a law to cover up the Moon Jae-in administration’s failure in rice price policy as pointed out by farmers’ organizations, or is it a law to cover up the judicial crisis of Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung?”

They continued, “People Power Party members of the Agenda Coordination Committee have repeatedly suggested to the Democratic Party to conduct more in-depth discussions after the national audit,” and pointed out, “Nevertheless, the Democratic Party unilaterally scheduled the Agenda Coordination Committee meeting today, the day for organizing national audit materials, and processed the Grain Management Act amendment, which can only be seen as highly political.”

The amendment to the Grain Management Act requires the government to compulsorily purchase surplus rice production. The Democratic Party has been pushing this as a party policy to reduce farmers’ burdens caused by falling rice prices. The People Power Party requested the referral of the bill to the Agenda Coordination Committee on the 26th of last month to block the Democratic Party’s forced passage of the amendment.

They emphasized, “We strongly urge the Democratic Party to stop the unilateral and hasty promotion of the Grain Management Act amendment and sincerely cooperate in seeking a structural solution to South Korea’s rice market.”

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