People Power Party to Boycott Plenary Session on Committee Chair Elections... Announces Protest Rally

by Jang Bokyeong

Published 27 Jun.2025 15:17(KST)

The People Power Party announced on June 27 that it would not attend the plenary session of the National Assembly, which was scheduled to elect the chairs of key standing committees, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts.

Song Eonseok, floor leader of the People Power Party, told reporters after visiting National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonsik's office with senior lawmakers who have served three or more terms, "We need to gather the consensus of our lawmakers, but it will be difficult for us to attend the plenary session."

Yonhap News

According to Floor Leader Song, senior members of the People Power Party requested Speaker Woo to postpone the election of standing committee chairs, which was scheduled for today, by at least one week to allow for in-depth negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties. However, Speaker Woo reportedly replied that it would be difficult to delay any further.

Floor Leader Song explained, "Speaker Woo seems to have determined that, since sufficient time has already been given, there is little chance of successful negotiations through further dialogue. That is why he wants to proceed with the vote today."

He further pointed out, "Going forward, Speaker Woo will likely continue to claim, in good faith, that he is encouraging negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties, but in reality, he will handle the agenda items as the Democratic Party demands. It appears that President Lee Jaemyung's remarks about cooperation and bipartisanship during his policy speech were nothing but words, and there is no real intention to put them into practice."

The Democratic Party plans to process the pre-arranged motions to elect Lee Choonseok as chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Han Byungdo as chair of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, Kim Kyohung as chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, and Kim Byungki as chair of the Steering Committee during the plenary session today.

The People Power Party plans to hold a protest rally at the National Assembly after the plenary session ends today.