Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee's 'Space Aviation Agency Act' Subcommittee Disrupted... Failure to Elect Chairman

與 "Jo Seung-rae Proposes Competition Law... Chairman Byun Jae-il Should Do It"
Opposition "Is It Logic That Chairman Can't Serve If They Propose Law Opposed by Government?"

The National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee continued to face deadlock on the 31st over the election of the chairperson of the agenda coordination committee to discuss the Special Act on the Space and Aeronautics Administration. The ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold a meeting soon after party-level discussions to decide on the chairperson.

The ruling and opposition parties discussed for about 40 minutes in the National Assembly's Science and Technology Committee to elect the agenda coordination committee chairperson but failed to reach a conclusion. According to the National Assembly Act, there was consensus that the chairperson should be from the Democratic Party of Korea, the largest negotiating group in the National Assembly.

However, while the Democratic Party insisted that Cho Seung-rae, the opposition party secretary of the Science and Technology Committee, should take the chairperson position, the People Power Party countered that Byeon Jae-il of the Democratic Party should be chairperson because Cho had proposed a bill to establish a Space Strategy Headquarters opposing the establishment of the Space and Aeronautics Administration.

Park Sung-joong, the People Power Party secretary of the Science and Technology Committee, said at the meeting, "We acknowledge that the majority party, the Democratic Party, should have the chairperson according to the law, and we are pushing for Byeon because he has more seniority and is older." He added, "Cho proposed a competing bill, and since his constituency includes the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), a specialized aerospace research institution, we asked for concessions due to various interests, but overall, no conclusion was reached."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Cho represents Yuseong District in Daejeon, where KARI is located, and the KARI labor union opposes the establishment of the Space and Aeronautics Administration. Cho also proposed a bill to establish the 'Space Strategy Headquarters,' a ministerial-level organization elevated above the Space and Aeronautics Administration.

Cho maintains that his bill proposal and the characteristics of his constituency do not disqualify him from chairing the committee. At the meeting, he said, "Since the agenda coordination committee system was introduced, I don't think there has ever been such a dispute over the election of the chairperson." He rebutted, "The People Power Party's veto reason is that I proposed a competing bill, but if that logic holds, then anyone who proposes a bill opposing the government or ruling party cannot become chairperson. How is that possible?"

He continued, "The fact that KARI is located in Daejeon is also a veto reason. KARI recognizes the need for a dedicated space administrative agency but raises issues with the government proposal," adding, "If I am vetoed because a group that raises issues with the government proposal is in my constituency, then no lawmaker can carry out legislative activities or propose bills related to their constituency's interests without being accused of a conflict of interest. It's regrettable."

After the meeting, Park told reporters, "Cho cannot completely deny the nature of the KARI labor union because it is his constituency."

Earlier, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the chairperson appointment at the first agenda coordination committee meeting held on the 27th. They agreed to give party committee members another deliberation period and to schedule a meeting soon to appoint the chairperson.

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