Grain Management Act Passes Agriculture, Oceans and Fisheries Committee... Ruling Party: "Lee Jae-myung's Directive Law, Consecutive Filibusters"

On the 19th, at the full meeting of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee held at the National Assembly, members of the People Power Party opposed the partial amendment bill of the Grain Management Act and were absent from the meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The amendment to the Grain Management Act, which mandates market isolation for rice, passed the National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee on the 19th, led by the Democratic Party of Korea. The ruling party responded with a statement calling it a "continuous filibuster."

On the same day, the Democratic Party effectively approved the amendment to the Grain Management Act during the full committee meeting of the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee held at the National Assembly. Independent lawmaker Yoon Mi-hyang, formerly of the Democratic Party, also voted in favor.

Members of the People Power Party's Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee issued a statement immediately after the bill's passage, saying, "The Democratic Party unilaterally passed the amendment to the Grain Management Act, which is the 'Lee Jae-myung directive law' and a rice populism law." They criticized it as "a clear abuse of the parliamentary majority and the third consecutive filibuster through the bill subcommittee, agenda coordination committee, and full committee."

They added, "The People Power Party made strenuous efforts to block the amendment to the Grain Management Act, which is evidently going to ruin the future of rural areas and farmers," and expressed regret, saying, "We deeply regret being numerically outnumbered and feel sorry before the people."

The amendment to the Grain Management Act, which passed the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee, now only awaits approval from the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the plenary session. Although the ruling and opposition parties held consultations between their floor leaders before the committee convened that day, they ultimately failed to reach an agreement.

The amendment's main point is to require the government to compulsorily purchase surplus rice produced to stabilize rice prices. The current law treats market isolation as a discretionary provision.

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