June 18 Legislative Report: National Assembly Strengthens Transparency with Information Disclosure Act Amendments

National Assembly Passes Information Disclosure Act Amendments, Boosting Transparency

The National Assembly has recently passed amendments to the Act on Disclosure of Information by Public Institutions, which is expected to significantly enhance public access to information. The amendments prioritize promoting citizens' right to know and increasing administrative transparency. Notably, similar bills were proposed and passed during the 20th National Assembly, underscoring the legislature's sustained focus on the importance of information disclosure.

Jeon Jae-soo, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party of Korea, previously spearheaded and passed an amendment to the Act on Disclosure of Information by Public Institutions during the 20th National Assembly. This legislation laid the groundwork for citizens to more easily access and utilize information held by public institutions. At the time, Rep. Jeon also served as a member of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, playing a crucial role in budget deliberations. He continued his legislative work in the 21st National Assembly as a member of the Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee.

22nd National Assembly Accelerates Prosecution and Judicial Reform, Drives Livelihood Bills

The 22nd National Assembly has officially kicked off legislative activities across various sectors since its inauguration. Progress is particularly accelerating on bills aimed at reforming the prosecution and judiciary, protecting vulnerable social groups, and recovering the livelihood economy, primarily driven by the Jo Guk Innovation Party. These efforts are geared towards strengthening citizens' fundamental rights and ensuring fairness across society.

Kim Du-yeol, a lawmaker with the Jo Guk Innovation Party, has put prosecution reform at the forefront of his agenda for the 22nd National Assembly, announcing plans to introduce legislation that would reduce the scope of crimes subject to direct prosecution. He is expected to actively participate in the review of related bills through his work in standing committees focused on prosecution and judicial reform, such as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Yang Jeong-woo, leveraging his experience in legal consultation for human rights and public interest matters as the former head of the Judicial Committee at the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), is also anticipated to contribute his expertise to key bill reviews in committees like the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Furthermore, Rep. Park Soo-hyun has emphasized the necessity of judicial reform through a 5-minute speech and expressed a strong intention to actively participate in the processing of contentious bills, including the 'Special Prosecutor Act for Marine Corps Case,' as a member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Rep. Park Jae-ha, also affiliated with the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, demonstrated his commitment to prosecution and judicial reform by co-sponsoring a resolution calling for an investigation into allegations involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee in stock price manipulation. Rep. Ryu Jae-guk has prepared to introduce amendments to the "Prosecution Service Act" and "Criminal Procedure Act" as the first bills of the 22nd National Assembly, signaling a concrete legislative intent to curb prosecutorial power and scrutinize indictment authority. All these lawmakers are expected to be active participants in relevant standing committees, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

Efforts to protect vulnerable social groups are also ongoing. Rep. Jo Jeong-yeong, as a member of the Health and Welfare Committee, has highlighted the need for legislation to protect the vulnerable and expressed intent to review bills related to "Strengthening the Protection of Children and Disabled Persons' Rights." In the 21st National Assembly, she served on the Science, ICT, Future Planning, Broadcasting and Communications Committee. In the 22nd National Assembly, she has also declared her intention to introduce legislation concerning "Renouncing Parliamentary Privileges," showing her commitment to political reform. Rep. Park Yoon-young has also announced plans for legislative activities aimed at promoting the rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups, and is expected to apply her expertise in committees such as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee or the Environment and Labor Committee. Rep. Byun Eun-ah has indicated she will focus on bills related to "Livelihood Recovery" and "Political Reform," and is reportedly seeking assignment to relevant standing committees like the Legislation and Judiciary Committee or the Steering Committee.

National Assembly Activities on State Investigations and Economic Issues

The National Assembly has agreed to conduct a state investigation into the ballot paper shortage incident during the June 3 local elections, targeting the National Election Commission and its regional branches. This investigation is slated to last for 45 days, with the possibility of extension. The provisional title for the investigation is 'State Investigation to Uncover the Truth of Infringement of Citizens' Voting Rights and Reform Election Management Due to Ballot Paper Shortages, etc.', and it will not include the police among the investigated entities. Both ruling and opposition parties have agreed to cooperate in summoning witnesses, including the Minister of the Interior and Safety and relevant local government officials involved in the ballot paper shortage incident. This move is expected to pave the way for exploring institutional improvements to enhance the fairness and efficiency of election management.

Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo is scheduled to attend the 49th Jeju Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jeju Forum next month to engage with the domestic business community. This marks an unprecedented occasion for the Speaker to attend such a large-scale forum for the business sector. Speaker Kim is expected to listen to the voices of the business community on legislative matters, including support for cutting-edge industries and easing corporate regulations, during his meeting with Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, regional chamber chairmen, and other business leaders. Key officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Koo Yun-cheol and Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-kwan, are also expected to attend and share the government's economic policy direction for the second half of the year.

Additionally, discussions are actively underway in the National Assembly regarding reforms to the National Pension Fund's governance structure. A forum hosted by Rep. Park Hong-bae of the Democratic Party of Korea pointed out that the National Pension Fund's governance structure remains stagnant since 2008 and emphasized the need for improvements through amendments to the National Pension Act. The Ministry of Employment and Labor has also expressed its intention to actively support discussions on amendments to the Labor Standards Act, such as the estimated worker system, signaling a strengthened legislative response to changes in the labor market.

In a related development, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-deok has been actively visiting sites ahead of amendments to the Parking Lot Act to gather resident opinions. The amendments to the Parking Lot Act, scheduled to take effect in August, focus on resolving public inconvenience caused by obstructions to parking lot access and aim to enhance public convenience through regulatory adjustments.

Outlook and Implications of Legislative Activities

The 22nd National Assembly is expected to drive broad societal changes through its legislative activities addressing a diverse range of current issues. Legislative moves concerning key agendas such as prosecution and judicial reform, protection of vulnerable social groups, revitalization of the livelihood economy, and improvement of the election system are areas drawing significant public attention.

The prosecution reform bills spearheaded by lawmakers of the Jo Guk Innovation Party can contribute to curbing prosecutorial abuse and fostering an environment of fair law enforcement. Legislation related to the protection of vulnerable social groups and livelihood recovery, led by lawmakers like Jo Jeong-yeong, Park Yoon-young, and Byun Eun-ah, could positively impact the strengthening of social safety nets and the mitigation of economic inequality. Furthermore, the state investigation into the election commission is likely to serve as an opportunity to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election management system.

Moreover, the National Assembly Speaker's attendance at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry forum is evaluated as a significant occasion to strengthen communication with the business community and explore legislative support for economic revitalization. Policy lectures and exchanges with ministers from various government departments will contribute to setting the direction for economic policies in the second half of the year and encouraging participation from private economic entities. The discussions on reforming the National Pension Fund's governance structure are anticipated to play a crucial role in enhancing the accountability and professionalism of the key institution managing the public's retirement assets.

Moving forward, the National Assembly is expected to bring about tangible changes in people's lives by thoroughly discussing and processing these various legislative tasks. However, given the existing differences in viewpoints between the ruling and opposition parties, it will be crucial to achieve national consensus through efficient bill processing and constructive discussion.