KB News Desk
The National Assembly is bracing for a filibuster by the main opposition People Power Party at the plenary session Monday, following weeks of parliamentary paralysis.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea is pushing to pass a revision bill that day that would allow a one-month extension of the special investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief imposition of martial law in 2024.
The main opposition People Power Party plans to respond by launching a filibuster once parliament puts the revision to the vote.
In a text message sent to party members Thursday, the People Power Party said the Democratic Party had “unilaterally convened the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to push ahead with the special counsel bill revision to extend its operation at the plenary session Monday,” which will be met with a “stern filibuster.”
This came against the backdrop of the bipartisan wrangling over the parliament’s failure to complete committee assignments.
The People Power Party launched a boycott, now in its second month, after the Democratic Party elected chairs for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and 10 other committees without bipartisan consultation on July 1. The rival parties blame each other for the subsequent paralysis at the National Assembly.
So far, People Power Party lawmakers have appeared at none of the committee meetings in July, except for a special committee to probe the election authorities’ ballot shortage scandal.
Friday was the deadline suggested by National Assembly Speaker Rep. Cho Jeong-sik, as the Democratic Party has threatened to elect its lawmakers to chair the seven remaining standing committee posts. The ruling Democratic Party holds a majority in the National Assembly, meaning it has the power to pass most bills tabled at parliamentary meetings.
In the meantime, People Power Party chair Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok skipped the National Assembly’s ceremony to celebrate the 78th anniversary of Constitution Day in apparent protest. Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig had also told reporters Thursday that he was considering not attending the ceremony, but made an appearance there on Friday.
As Speaker Cho in his speech on Friday raised the need to amend the Constitution within two years, People Power Party’s senior spokesperson Rep. Park Sung-hoon said the constitutional amendment, which requires its party lawmakers’ consent, is being proposed “solely for strategic interests,” blasting the ruling party for using the constitutional amendment as a tool to consolidate power.
