'Public Transportation Refund' Processing in October Unlikely... Opposition: "Ruling Party Ends Livelihood Economy Stability Special Committee Due to Non-Cooperation"

Kim Seong-hwan "Created and Delivered Unified Opposition Proposal on Delivery Price Linkage System, but Ruling Party Did Not Respond"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] It has become virtually impossible to pass bills related to public transportation refunds and the safe freight rate system for cargo trucks within October. The Democratic Party of Korea explained that the Livelihood Economy Stabilization Special Committee has come to an end amid the government and ruling party's 'non-cooperation.'

On the 25th, Kim Seong-hwan, the policy chief of the Democratic Party, said at a press briefing, "The deadline for the National Assembly's Livelihood Economy Stabilization Special Committee was the end of October, and since today was effectively the last day, we initially planned to hold the committee at 2 p.m. to try to process as many agreements as possible on the safe freight rate system for cargo trucks, public transportation refunds, and delivery price adjustments." He added, "The ruling party proposed several amendable drafts after prior consultations with related organizations, but they did not respond to the schedule."

Kim, who is also the Democratic Party's secretary for the Livelihood Economy Stabilization Special Committee, said, "Joo Ho-young, the floor leader of the People Power Party, visited the Korea Federation of SMEs and expressed willingness to try the delivery price linkage system, raising our expectations. We prepared a consensus including safeguards reflecting our party's opinions, but even this was met with insincere responses from the government and ruling party, making it meaningless to hold the meeting, so the 2 p.m. meeting was canceled."

He stated, "Since the committee's activity period ends this month, it has become difficult to reach an agreement on the bills, and they will eventually be transferred to the Industry, Trade, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Venture Businesses Committee or the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. We will do our best to handle these issues at the standing committee level."

Kim expressed strong regret toward the People Power Party, saying, "The Speaker of the National Assembly mediated several times and even urged the President to actively consider the public transportation refund issue, but despite this, the People Power Party showed no sincerity or effort to implement it."

In the subsequent Q&A session, he said, "The Democratic Party, through the special committee, created a feasible single proposal regarding the delivery price linkage system after multiple discussions and delivered it to the People Power Party. However, the leadership of that party apparently preferred to handle it at the standing committee level, so it is presumed there was no internal discussion within the special committee."

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