[The Editors' Verdict] The Opposition Must Not Hold People's Livelihoods Hostage

Lee Jae-myung Directly Refers Bills to Parliament Whenever Prosecutors Summon Him
Sympathizes with Ruling Party's Criticism of Protective National Assembly

[Asia Economy Reporter Ji Yeon-jin] "Since the ruling and opposition party floor leaders have not reached an agreement and there are objections among the standing committee members, a secret ballot will be held."

At around 5:25 p.m. on the 9th of this month, Jeong Chun-sook, Chairperson of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, suddenly announced a vote on the agenda to directly refer seven bills, including the Nursing Act, to the plenary session. This came immediately after the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency completed their work reports and the lawmakers’ inquiries. It was just one day before Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, was scheduled to appear before the prosecution. On that day, the Health and Welfare Committee, led by the Democratic Party, processed the direct referral of seven bills to the plenary session. Although the Democratic Party claims that it handled bills that had long been pending in the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the situation feels eerily familiar.

On December 28 last year, the Democratic Party unilaterally processed the direct referral of the Grain Management Act amendment bill to the plenary session in the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, on the very day the prosecution summoned Lee Jae-myung for investigation. This was the first application of the amended Article 86 of the National Assembly Act, which allows direct referral to the plenary session with the approval of three-fifths of the standing committee members if a bill referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is not processed within 60 days. The Democratic Party passed this bill on October 20 last year in the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee despite the absence of ruling party lawmakers, and after well over 60 days, they pulled out the direct referral card to the plenary session.

On the 31st of last month, when the Democratic Party pushed for a vote on whether to put the Grain Management Act on the plenary session agenda, it was right after the prosecution notified Lee of his third summons. Every time the Democratic Party pushed through legislation, Lee faced judicial risks. At this point, it is hard not to nod in agreement with the ruling party’s critics who call it the "Lee Jae-myung Shield National Assembly."

The problem lies in the side effects of the bills directly referred to the plenary session. In the case of the Grain Management Act amendment, it mandates the government to purchase surplus rice to isolate it from the market, but there are concerns that the compulsory purchase of excess rice could actually drive rice prices down. The Nursing Act aims to improve treatment by securing nursing staff, establishing measures for long-term service, and guaranteeing parental leave, but it has sparked opposition from the medical community excluding nurses, who argue that it grants special privileges to a specific occupational group. The Korean Medical Association has decided to temporarily suspend participation in the medical issues consultative body, which was reactivated after two years to discuss strengthening government support for essential medical fields and improving the medical system. Additionally, the "Health and Welfare Medical Solidarity to Prevent the Enactment of the Nursing Act," composed of 13 health and medical professional organizations, is reportedly considering a general strike. With COVID-19 still ongoing, concerns about medical service gaps are rising, and the Democratic Party bears significant responsibility that cannot be dismissed as merely a "turf war."

Currently, a total of 116 bills have been pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee for more than 60 days. The Democratic Party classifies bills pending for over six months as long-term pending bills and is prioritizing them for direct referral to the plenary session. They have also announced plans for forcible processing at the standing committee level. The Democratic Party plans to submit and process amendments to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act at the Employment and Labor Law Review Subcommittee under the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee on the 15th, and then pass them at the full Environment and Labor Committee meeting on the 21st. If the bills are not processed within 60 days after being referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, they plan to follow the same procedure as with the Grain Management Act by directly referring them from the standing committee to the plenary session. This is a strategy to pressure the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s labor reform efforts. With reports that the prosecution will request an arrest warrant for Lee Jae-myung, concerns about another legislative overreach are growing. If these bills are essential for socially vulnerable groups and improve citizens’ livelihoods, why did the Democratic Party, which secured 169 seats in the 21st general election, not process them immediately? The Democratic Party must stop its legislative overreach that prioritizes covering Lee’s judicial risks over the people’s welfare.

Ji Yeon-jin, Head of Political Department

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