Meeting on Living Conditions Supplement Lauded, Opposing Party’s Demand Rejected
“Judiciary and Budget Committee Chairs’ Appointment Urgent”
Kim Byeong-gi (center), the new floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), spoke at the highest committee meeting of the National Assembly on the 16th. Kim announced, “The Democratic Party will become an unsinkable aircraft carrier strongly supporting the Lee Jae-myung administration,” as reported by Lee Byeong-ju.
The DPK requested Speaker Woo Won-sik to convene a plenary session on the 19th to appoint the vacant chairs of the National Assembly’s Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The new DPK floor leadership proposed periodic meetings, indicating a will for bipartisan cooperation, but flatly rejected the opposition’s demand for renegotiations regarding the judiciary committee chairmanship.
Kim Byeong-gi and the new leadership team visited Speaker Woo and asked for a plenary session to appoint the standing committee chairs. DPK Spokesperson Kim Hyun-jung explained, “Despite the need for party-government consultations to address supplementary budgets, the budget committee chair is vacant. Appointing the judiciary committee chair is also essential for processing livelihood-related bills.”
The judiciary committee chair, typically appointed for a two-year term, became vacant when Jeong Cheong-rae resigned to run for party leader. Park Jeong completed his one-year term as budget committee chair. The DPK insists both positions should belong to the ruling party, respecting the results of last year’s opening session negotiations of the 22nd National Assembly. Regarding the People Power Party’s demand for an opposition judiciary chair to ensure checks and balances, a DPK source stated, “There’s no room for negotiation. The budget committee chair belongs to the ruling party as well.”
The urgency of the supplementary budget is underscored, with pressure applied for the swift formation of the budget committee. Rapid action on the supplementary budget is necessary for economic recovery, requiring a promptly set-up budget committee to examine the budget proposal. Moon Jin-seok, DPK deputy floor leader, highlighted the formation of the government cabinet and the prime minister’s approval, alongside the supplementary budget formulation, as top priorities on KBS Radio.
Thus, some view the ruling party’s communication with the opposition as superficial, questioning the possibility of cooperation without any concessions. However, there is talk of the DPK possibly opening dialogue on issues such as budget allocation in opposition-held districts with the supplementary budget.
Speaker Woo suggested a meeting between the floor leaders of the two parties soon, stating, “More frequent and deeper dialogues will lead to smoother National Assembly operations and greater achievements.” Kim said, “We are in a situation where we must achieve the recovery of people’s livelihoods, national normalization, and even national unity.” Kim also proposed regular weekly bipartisan meetings. The DPK intends to engage in discussions with the new floor leadership of the People Power Party as soon as possible. A key DPK official stated, “The most important issue is the supplementary budget. We will also request cooperation regarding the cabinet to swiftly normalize the nation.”