Opposition, Steps to Pass Grain Management Act... "Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Committee to Convene on 28th for Plenary Session Submission"

Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Committee to Convene Plenary Session on the Morning of the 28th
"Opposition Secures Necessary Seats"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] The National Assembly's Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee convened a full committee meeting on the 28th to submit the Grain Management Act (alternative) to the plenary session of the National Assembly.

According to National Assembly officials on the 26th, the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee finalized the agenda to discuss the "Request for Submission to the Plenary Session on the Partial Amendment Bill of the Grain Management Act (alternative)" at 10 a.m. on the 28th.

The alternative Grain Management Act was passed by the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee on October 19 and then referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for systematic and textual review. However, since the Legislation and Judiciary Committee has not completed the review within 60 days, the procedure to directly submit it to the plenary session has begun. According to Article 86, Paragraph 3 of the current National Assembly Act, if the Legislation and Judiciary Committee does not complete the review within 60 days from the date of referral without reason, the relevant committee may request submission to the plenary session with the approval of at least three-fifths of the total members through consultation among the secretaries or a secret ballot. This procedure was designed to prevent the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, also known as the upper house, from holding up bills from other standing committees.

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@

Currently, the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee has 11 members from the Democratic Party of Korea, 7 from the People Power Party, and 1 independent member, Yoon Mi-hyang. If Representative Yoon, originally from the Democratic Party, supports it, the three-fifths requirement can be met. Kim Seung-nam, the Democratic Party's secretary of the committee, told this outlet, "All 12 members required for submission to the plenary session will attend," adding, "We will try to induce an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties beforehand, but if no agreement is reached, we plan to submit it through a full committee meeting."

If the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee proceeds with submission to the plenary session under Article 86, Paragraph 3 this time, it will be the first case since the 2021 law amendment where an individual standing committee has bypassed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to submit a bill to the plenary session. Earlier, President Yoon Suk-yeol hinted at exercising a veto when the Grain Management Act was passed by the Agriculture, Forestry, Livestock, Food, and Maritime Affairs Committee on October 20. President Yoon said, "It does not help farmers," and requested "in-depth discussions in the National Assembly."

The Grain Management Act, which had been blocked in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, includes provisions requiring agricultural cooperatives to compulsorily purchase excess production during the harvest season if the government determines that market isolation conditions are met.

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