Environment and Labor Committee, Government and Ruling Party Absent... Opposition Party "Let's Consider Urging Minister's Dismissal"

Democratic Party "Ruling Party Absent Despite No Contentious Bills"
Park Jeong "Ruling Party Notified Meeting Impossible After Passing Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Bill"
Minister Dismissal Considered as Government Officials Also Do Not Attend

At the plenary session of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee held on the 7th, a claim was raised that a resolution urging the dismissal of the ministers should be considered after officials from the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Environment were absent. Opposition party lawmakers strongly criticized the absence of the ministers, which made it difficult to hold substitute discussions on bills.

At the plenary session that day, the Environment and Labor Committee adopted the 2023 national audit report and collectively submitted 93 bills. Most of the bills presented at the plenary session were not contentious bills but related to improving working conditions such as wage arrears and climate crisis-related legislation.

However, members of the Environment and Labor Committee from the People Power Party did not attend the session. Chairman Park Jeong of the committee said, "On May 2nd, the People Power Party floor leader also agreed to today's meeting in the plenary session," adding, "Suddenly, with the passage of the 'Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act,' the People Power Party unilaterally notified that they could not attend the meeting."

On the 7th, a full meeting of the Environment and Labor Committee was held at the National Assembly. Ruling party lawmakers and government officials were absent from the meeting. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

As neither the People Power Party members nor government officials attended that day, Chairman Park expressed regret. He said, "The People Power Party even blocked the government's attendance, and the government obediently followed that order," and criticized, "Is the government a vassal of the ruling party who goes when told and comes when called?" He added, "Where does such arrogant thinking come from, not attending an official National Assembly meeting under the ruling party's orders?"

In response, Roh Woong-rae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "I find this very regrettable," and added, "I think this is a clear example showing that the 21st National Assembly is a non-working assembly." He continued, "When legislation is passed, the president exercises a veto, breaking the separation of powers, which is the reality of the National Assembly," and said, "This time, we must not stand by, so regarding the government officials who did not participate on the last day to handle livelihood legislation that is not a matter of political strife, a resolution urging the dismissal of the Minister of Employment and Labor and the Minister of Environment should be adopted, albeit belatedly, to set an example."

Chairman Park said, "I will review the dismissal urging resolution more carefully and get back to you," and added, "I hope opposition floor leader Lee Su-jin will discuss with ruling party floor leader Im I-ja to coordinate the holding of the subcommittee." The agenda items submitted to the plenary session that day are scheduled to be discussed later in the subcommittee. However, since the 21st National Assembly will be dissolved on the 29th, there is a high possibility that the bills will effectively expire with the end of the term.

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