Han Byungdo to Directly Submit Lee Administration's 'Basic Act on Life and Safety' for Processing in April

Meeting with Civic Groups Ahead of 12th Anniversary of Sewol Ferry Disaster
Aiming for Passage through Full Public Administration Committee This Month

Han Byeongdo, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced on April 15 that in order to expedite the passage of the "Basic Act on Life and Safety," a key policy initiative of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the party would exercise its authority to directly refer the bill—currently pending in the Second Legislative Review Subcommittee of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee—to the full committee, with the aim of sending it to a plenary session before May.

One day before the twelfth anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster, Han made this statement during a visit to the protest site in front of the National Assembly, where civic groups such as the Life and Safety Solidarity and the Coalition of Disaster Victims are holding a sit-in.

(Seoul=Yonhap News) Photo by Jae-Man Bae = Ahn Byeongdo, Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at the party strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on April 14, 2026.

On this day, Han was accompanied by Chun Junho, Senior Deputy Floor Leader, Assemblyman Park Jumin, and Hong Ikpyo, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, who also visited the protest site.

Han stated, "We have reached a conclusion with the Speaker of the National Assembly to deal with the bill by directly referring it to the full committee of the Public Administration and Security Committee, and I have also conveyed this to Kwon Chilsung, the new committee chair. We will process it within this month," adding, "We will ensure all relevant standing committees pass the bill within Speaker Woo Wonsik’s term, which ends in May."

However, he also warned, "Even if we attempt to pass the bill unilaterally in the plenary session, the People Power Party could launch a filibuster and block the passage of other bills. The final passage in the plenary session remains a matter requiring our decision, and we will make a strategic judgment on that at a later time."

Hong, the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, added, "If the bill is successfully passed, the government will establish the Presidential Commission on National Life and Safety as an official body, as stipulated by law. For now, we have already revised the enforcement decree and issued a legislative notice." He continued, "If the Democratic Party leadership successfully negotiates the bill’s passage, we will promptly implement measures related to life and safety in our society, as long hoped for by civil society members and bereaved families present here."

On April 12, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that it would issue a legislative notice for the "Regulations on the Establishment and Operation of the Presidential Commission on National Life and Safety" (a presidential decree) from April 13 to April 24, in order to establish the commission. The commission will supervise and coordinate the implementation of countermeasures in five key areas: industrial accidents, suicides, natural disasters, traffic accidents, and child safety accidents.

Meanwhile, Party Leader Jung Cheongrae also remarked at the Supreme Council meeting in Busan on the same day, "I remember the 304 dreams that could not fully blossom in the cold sea twelve years ago," adding, "The Democratic Party will take responsibility and do its utmost to ensure the swift passage of the Basic Act on Life and Safety."

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