Intense Tug-of-War Over National Assembly Leadership Between Ruling and Opposition Parties... "Must Stop Legislative Autocracy" vs "Let's Follow the Law"

People Power Party "Chairperson and Legislation Committee Chair Must Belong to Different Parties"
Democratic Party "If No Agreement, Will Take 18 Standing Committees"

With less than a week remaining until the deadline for the National Assembly's organization, the tug-of-war between the ruling and opposition parties is intensifying. The People Power Party insists on securing the chairmanships of standing committees traditionally held by the ruling party, such as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee. However, the Democratic Party of Korea has expressed its intention to take all 18 standing committee chairmanships if no agreement is reached.

People's Power Floor Leader Choo Kyung-ho and Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Chan-dae are greeting each other at the 76th National Assembly Opening Ceremony held at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

On the morning of the 3rd, Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated at a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, "It has already been three weeks since the ruling and opposition parties began discussing the organization of the Assembly, which is sufficient time to reach a conclusion." He added, "The People Power Party is engaging in clear stalling by talking about customs in the media without even presenting their own proposal." He emphasized, "The Democratic Party's firm position is to reach a conclusion within the legal deadline set by the National Assembly Act," and continued, "While engaging in dialogue and compromise, reaching a conclusion within the time frame aligns with the public sentiment from the general election and the principles of democracy."

The Democratic Party is pressuring the ruling party by insisting on securing the chairmanships of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, the Steering Committee, and the Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee. These standing committees are effective in pressuring the government and ruling party. The Steering Committee oversees the Presidential Secretariat, allowing it to summon the Chief of the Presidential Secretariat for state audits and exert pressure. The Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee played a key role in reintroducing and passing the three broadcasting laws (Broadcasting Act, Promotion of Broadcasting Culture Act, and Korea Educational Broadcasting System Act amendments) that were repealed in the 21st National Assembly. The Legislation and Judiciary Committee is expected to be used not only to attack the prosecution but also to neutralize counterattacks from the government and ruling party. This committee is responsible for systematic review, examining whether bills are unconstitutional or conflict with related laws. Although the ruling party has used systematic review to check opposition legislation, the Democratic Party plans to neutralize even this.

The opposition has concentrated members known as "attackers" in these committees. The Legislation and Judiciary Committee includes lawmakers such as Jeong Cheong-rae, Kim Yong-min, and Jang Kyung-tae. These lawmakers, who are part of the party leadership and the Democratic Party's prosecution reform task force (TF), are expected to pressure the prosecution. The Steering Committee includes lawmakers Chu Mi-ae, Ko Min-jung, and Park Soo-hyun, who served as Minister of Justice and presidential spokespersons during the Moon Jae-in administration. The Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Communications Committee includes Kim Hyun, who served as an opposition member of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission, and Choi Min-hee, who was recommended as a commissioner of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission but resigned after President Yoon did not approve her appointment. In a briefing the day before, Floor Leader Park said, "The people judged the incompetence and irresponsibility of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration in the 22nd general election," and added, "The Democratic Party has decided to accept the election mandate as a call to stop the administration's incompetence, irresponsibility, and lawlessness, and to responsibly complete reform tasks for the people's livelihood."

The ruling party insists on defending the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee. On the previous day, People Power Party floor leader Chu Kyung-ho said at a press conference, "It is customary for the Speaker of the National Assembly and the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to belong to different parties to prevent legislative dominance by a single party," and added, "It is proper for the Speaker to be from the first party and the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to be from the second party." He continued, "If the Democratic Party insists on taking the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it is reasonable for the People Power Party to take the Speaker position," and stated, "The Democratic Party, with its 171 seats alone and around 190 seats including the entire opposition, has all the means to neutralize the Legislation and Judiciary Committee through the agenda adjustment committee and direct submission to the plenary session."

However, if no agreement is reached by the legal deadline for the organization of the 22nd National Assembly on the 7th, the Democratic Party is expected to monopolize all 18 standing committees. If negotiations with the ruling party continue to stall, they may face backlash from their hardline supporters. An opposition lawmaker said, "There is an internal voice that the situation where Chu was eliminated in the Speaker candidate primary should not be repeated in the organization of standing committees," and added, "The Democratic Party will not back down in the organization process."

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