Ruling Party Expects Government Organization Act Amendments to Conclude by April... "Planning and Budget Office Likely Under Operations Committee"

With the breakdown of the agreement between the ruling and opposition parties over the handling of the three major special prosecutor bills and the Government Organization Act, it appears that the Government Organization Act will undergo a phased amendment process, rather than being passed in its original form. The process is expected to begin at the National Assembly plenary session on September 25 and continue through April next year.

According to political sources on September 17, the Democratic Party of Korea has decided to proceed with the separation of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, even if issues regarding financial supervision are not resolved due to opposition from the People Power Party. The Operations Committee is being strongly considered as the standing committee in charge of the new Planning and Budget Office, which will be responsible for budgets and other related matters.

The Public Administration and Security Committee has submitted a proposed amendment to the Government Organization Act, which would reorganize the current government structure from 19 ministries, 3 offices, 20 agencies, and 6 committees to 19 ministries, 6 offices, 19 agencies, and 6 committees. Although the bill was sponsored by Kim Byungki, the Democratic Party's floor leader, it is effectively regarded as a government proposal. The Democratic Party leadership had previously decided to amend the Government Organization Act at the plenary session on September 25, so the review process is expected to move quickly.

Yonhap News Agency

원본보기 아이콘

However, there is a growing possibility that the Government Organization Act will be handled in a form different from what the Democratic Party and the government originally envisioned. The agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, which involved a trade-off between banning extensions of the three major special prosecutor investigations and cooperation on amending the Government Organization Act, has collapsed. As a result, the Democratic Party can no longer expect cooperation from the People Power Party regarding the Government Organization Act. A complete amendment of the Government Organization Act would require revisions to laws such as the Korea Communications Commission Act and the Financial Services Commission Act. However, a variable is that the chairperson of the Political Affairs Committee, which oversees the Financial Services Commission Act, is from the People Power Party.

For now, the Democratic Party plans to designate the Financial Services Commission Act and other related bills as fast-track items if negotiations with the People Power Party over the Government Organization Act reach an impasse. A Democratic Party official explained, "Since the only issue lies with the law establishing the Financial Supervisory Commission, the separation of the Ministry of Economy and Finance will proceed as planned." The Ministry of Economy and Finance and other entities will be divided into the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Planning and Budget Office, while the transfer of financial policy to the Ministry of Finance and Economy will be postponed. Considering the fast-track schedule, the Government Organization Act is expected to be finalized by April next year.

The reorganization of the Government Organization Act will inevitably lead to changes in the National Assembly's standing committees. Although the new Planning and Budget Office, created by the separation of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, will be under the Prime Minister's Office, the Democratic Party is considering placing it under the jurisdiction of the Operations Committee. However, this could change during the negotiations for the parliamentary composition in the second half of the year.

Other proposals under consideration include changing the Environment and Labor Committee to the Climate, Energy, Environment, and Labor Committee; the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee to the Broadcasting, Media, and Communications Committee; the Gender Equality and Family Committee to the Gender Equality and Family Committee; and the Planning and Finance Committee to the Finance and Economy Committee. The Industry, Trade, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee, which will transfer energy-related matters to the Environment and Labor Committee, is expected to drop "resources" from its name. However, discussions are still ongoing regarding the standing committees for agencies being upgraded to the National Data Office (currently Statistics Korea) and the Intellectual Property Office (currently the Korean Intellectual Property Office). Adjustments to the number of committee members will also be necessary due to changes in committee jurisdictions. A key Democratic Party official stated, "We plan to convene the Operations Committee on September 22 regarding the amendment to the National Assembly Act."

Meanwhile, Seo Beomsoo, the People Power Party's secretary on the Public Administration and Security Committee, criticized at a forum on the Government Organization Act, saying, "I simply cannot understand what is so urgent that this is being rushed through like roasting beans over a lightning fire."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.