Rival parties fail to reach consensus on organizing the legislative body

The tensions between the ruling party and the main opposition party are rising over organizing the legislative body, which includes the chair position of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, for the second half of the 21st National Assembly. The parties even failed in settling on a date for a meeting to start the negotiation in full swing. As the organization of the legislative body is delayed, the ruling People Power Party is on the lookout for a chance to push ahead the appointment of some nominees of cabinet members.

In a press conference on Monday, Kwon Seong-dong, the PPP floor leader repeatedly emphasized that if National Assembly speaker is elected from the Democratic Party, the head position of the Legislative and Judiciary Standing Committee should be given to a PPP lawmaker. “I told the DP floor leader Park Hong-keun that giving the head position of the legislative and judiciary standing committee to the PPP will lead to trouble-free negotiations,” Kwon said. “Therefore, if we fail to reach an agreement on this, the blame should be on the DP, which has most seats in the National Assembly.”

In the meantime, the DP floor leader pressured the PPP on Facebook saying, “The ruling party, which is responsible for the security of our nation, should give up partisan politics and immediately elect the chair of the National Assembly to bring it back to normal.”

Another reason behind the delay has to do with the internal disputes within the DP. A DP official said that “the emergency committee should be formed first to negotiate pending issues between the parties including organizing the legislative body.”

Against this backdrop, no one knows when the confirmation hearing for Cabinet nominees would resume. On May 16, President Yoon submitted a request to the National Assembly for a confirmation hearing for his nominee for Commissioner of National Tax Service Kim Chang-ki. However, the deadline for the confirmation hearing is expired. Therefore, President Yoon Suk-yeol is planning to ask the National Assembly to submit the confirmation hearing report on Mr. Kim. “The fault is on the National Assembly as it is the one which failed to open the confirmation hearing. The administration cannot be blamed,” PPP Floor Leader Kwon said that with regard to Mr. Kim. “Don’t we inevitably have to appoint him without a confirmation hearing?”


Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com · Hoon-Sang Park tigermask@donga.com