May 31 Legislative Report: 22nd National Assembly Gears Up for Livelihood and Reform Legislation

22nd National Assembly Kicks Off Initiatives for Public Welfare and Legal Reform

With the inauguration of the 22nd National Assembly, legislative efforts aimed at stabilizing the public economy and protecting citizens' rights are gaining momentum. Notably, opposition parties, led by the Jo Guk Innovation Party, are accelerating preparations for related bills, setting goals for their legislative activities that include prosecutorial reform, special laws for livelihood stability, and legislation to safeguard public life and safety. The Democratic Party of Korea has also made it clear that it will focus on reviewing and improving bills directly related to people's lives, such as amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act. Attention is keenly focused on whether this will lead to fierce debates and tangible policy changes during future parliamentary discussions.

One of the most prominent moves is the legislative preview by Moon Sung-mook, a lawmaker from the Jo Guk Innovation Party. Moon has repeatedly stated his commitment to enacting a 'Law to Protect the Life and Safety of the People' and developing related policies in the National Assembly. This is interpreted as a desire to legislate on safety-related issues that are currently being given significant attention in our society. Furthermore, since the opening of the 22nd National Assembly, Moon has signaled broad legislative activities by announcing his participation in standing committee work across various fields, including public economy, diplomacy, and security.

Meanwhile, legislative activities drawing on professional legal experience are also highly anticipated. A prime example is Oh Ha-geun, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, who has been reviewing bills aimed at strengthening judicial independence and fairness, and expanding opportunities for public participation in judicial processes. He has also expressed his intention to pursue amendments to the 'Prosecution Service Act' and the 'Criminal Procedure Act' to reduce the scope of direct investigations by prosecutors and enhance the protection of citizens' fundamental rights. This reflects public demand for prosecutorial reform and suggests a potential attempt to fundamentally alter the judicial system by separating investigative and prosecutorial powers. Lee Ji-seong, another lawmaker from the Jo Guk Innovation Party, has also indicated his participation in and support for drafting amendments to the Prosecution Service Act and the Criminal Procedure Act, centered on separating prosecutorial and investigative powers, joining the movement for prosecutorial reform along with calls to strengthen the independence of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Discussions on Judicial System Reform and Public Economy Bills

Deliberations surrounding amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act are emerging as a key agenda item in this parliamentary session. Representative Jung Sung-ho stated regarding the proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act, slated for full discussion in June, "We plan to meticulously design the system to ensure no innocent victims emerge." This indicates that the core objective of the current reform bill is focused on protecting citizens' fundamental rights and ensuring the fairness of judicial procedures. The Prosecutors' Reform Promotion Team under the Prime Minister's Office is currently preparing the government's draft amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act and plans to submit it to the National Assembly soon. In particular, discussions are underway on amending the law with the premise of abolishing the prosecution's supplementary investigation rights, making the actual abolition and the preparation of measures to fill any investigative gaps the biggest points of contention. These discussions are evaluated as an attempt to simultaneously enhance the efficiency and fairness of the judicial system.

Bae Shim-gyo, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, has expressed his intention to focus on deliberating and improving bills directly related to the lives of ordinary citizens. He has indicated a desire to pursue legislation to strengthen punishments, such as setting minimum sentencing for heinous crimes that stir public outrage, and is highly expected to participate in legislative activities in committees related to law. This demonstrates a commitment to strengthen legislative responses to the severity of crimes that the public experiences. Son Hoon-mo, also from the Democratic Party of Korea, has emphasized the importance of enacting laws for clean and transparent parliamentary activities, such as the 'Law on Preventing Conflicts of Interest for National Assembly Members.' He has also previewed multifaceted legislative activities, including participating in discussions on the direction of science and technology policies in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation with members of the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee.

Meanwhile, the People Power Party has criticized the special bill for livelihood stability as a 'populist bill.' Cho Guk (Jeong Oh), leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated during his negotiation group representative speech at the plenary session of the 22nd National Assembly on May 30, 2024, criticizing the government's operational direction and proposing alternatives, that the 'People Power Party's No. 1 Bill,' the 'Special Law for Livelihood Stability,' is 'a typical populist bill.' This exemplifies the clear divergence in interpretations and policy directions between the ruling and opposition parties, and fierce debates are anticipated during the legislative process.

Legislative Trends in the National Assembly and Future Outlook

Since the opening of the 22nd National Assembly, the preview of legislative activities by lawmakers provides an indication of concrete policy directions. Han Dong-hoon, a lawmaker from the Jo Guk Innovation Party, will undertake his role in the National Assembly based on his experience as Minister of Justice, having gone through confirmation hearings while serving as a proportional representative. Lee Gyo-seon, also from the Jo Guk Innovation Party, has begun his legislative activities by being assigned to a National Assembly standing committee and is participating in parliamentary work.

Thus, from its opening, the 22nd National Assembly has been signaling the introduction and deliberation of various bills, focusing its discussions on two major pillars: public welfare stabilization and judicial system reform. The 'Law to Protect the Life and Safety of the People' proposed by Moon Sung-mook holds significant meaning in terms of strengthening the social safety net, while the amendments to the Prosecution Service Act and the Criminal Procedure Act being pursued by Oh Ha-geun, Lee Ji-seong, Jung Sung-ho, and others are significant in terms of realizing judicial justice. Furthermore, Bae Shim-gyo's proposed bill to strengthen penalties for violent crimes is expected to contribute to guaranteeing citizens' right to live in safety.

However, policy disagreements between the ruling and opposition parties suggest that the legislative process may face considerable difficulties. In particular, the critical view of the special law for livelihood stability foreshadows intense debates over fiscal burden and policy effectiveness. Additionally, while the early voter turnout of 24.12% for the National Assembly by-elections shows public interest in political participation, the complex political dynamics and social consensus-building processes will accompany the passage of actual bills. Moving forward, the National Assembly must focus on coordinating these diverse opinions and forming public consensus to enact effective policies. This is anticipated to be a crucial opportunity not only to legislate and amend laws but also to substantially improve the quality of life for citizens and restore overall societal trust.