Will 'Witness Attendance Reinforcement' Be Implemented for Key National Assembly Agenda Reviews and Hearings?

Assemblyman Shin Jeong-hoon Leads the Proposal to Amend the 'National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act'

A bill to strengthen witness attendance at National Assembly standing committees and hearings has been proposed.

On the 26th, Representative Shin Jeong-hoon (Naju·Hwasun, Democratic Party) announced that he had taken the lead in proposing a partial amendment to the "Act on Testimony and Appraisal in the National Assembly."

The bill includes provisions allowing committees for important agenda deliberations or hearings in the National Assembly to order witnesses who refuse to comply with attendance orders without justifiable reasons to accompany them to designated locations by resolution.

The National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act stipulates procedures related to requests for reports and document submissions, testimony, and appraisal in connection with agenda deliberations, audits, or investigations by the National Assembly.

Under the current law, Article 6 allows only committees for audits or investigations to order witnesses to accompany them to designated locations by resolution.

However, even when witness attendance is essential for important agenda deliberations or hearings in the National Assembly, issues frequently arise where the effectiveness of hearings is diminished due to witness absence, hindering the proper performance of the National Assembly's role.

Representative Shin said, "General standing committees have also become very important meetings like audits or investigations in terms of checking the executive branch, responding to social issues, strengthening parliamentary democracy, and the public's right to know," adding, "However, recently, the frequent absence of Cabinet members from the National Assembly is obstructing the smooth progress of Assembly meetings."

He continued, "Through this bill, the attendance of Cabinet members at the National Assembly will be strengthened, and it is expected to serve as an opportunity to normalize parliamentary democracy," he emphasized.

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