Parties expected to dispute amid controversial bills on the table

The ruling and opposition parties will likely come into conflict over the bill regarding a special probe into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun; the revisions to the four broadcasting-related laws; and the impeachment of Korean Communications Commission (KCC) Chairman Kim Hong-il during a plenary session of the National Assembly scheduled from this Tuesday to Thursday. The Democratic Party of Korea, internally determined to go on the offensive this week, plans to push forward with these controversial bills, including the one regarding Cpl. Chae in the plenary session, while waging an all-out battle against the administration and the ruling party in the National Assembly’s house steering committee on Monday; and during an interpellation session between this Tuesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, the ruling People Power Party argues that the bill on a special probe on Cpl. Chae has been invalidly processed unilaterally by the main opposition at the standing committee level, keeping its guards up and saying, “If it is forcibly dealt with during the plenary session, we will request the President exercise a veto.”

The main opposition party will accelerate its efforts to pass the four broadcasting bills and the impeachment motion of KCC Chairman Kim. Spokesperson Lee Hae-sik said on Sunday, “We strive to nullify all the unjust, unreasonable decisions made by the two-member Korea Communications Commission, which goes against the Constitution,” adding that the passage of the four broadcasting bills will get the public broadcasting system back to citizens. “The impeachment of Chairman Kim was less urgent than the special probe bill. However, things turned around suddenly so that he could step down as soon as possible after the KCC last Friday approved a plan to appoint board members of public broadcasters,” explained a core member of the main opposition party.

The ruling party is not sitting idly by. It argues that the special probe bill regarding the death of Cpl. Chae was put to a vote again after the presidential veto was exercised, but was voted down during the 21st National Assembly. Similarly, it claims that the four broadcasting bills and the impeachment motion passed the standing committees even before the composition of the parliament was finalized. The party is prepared to ask President Yoon Suk Yeol to reject them if the main opposition party unilaterally handles them in the plenary session. Moreover, it is considering starting a media campaign to criticize the main opposition party for unilaterally handling legislative procedures by filibustering to prevent them from passing in the plenary session.


안규영 kyu0@donga.com