People Power Party Reaffirms Main Opposition's Claim to Judiciary Committee Chairmanship

The People Power Party (PPP) on June 29 emphasized that the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee must be held by the main opposition party amid the breakdown of negotiations for forming the National Assembly. The party also criticized the ruling party for attempting to monopolize standing committees.

PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won stated that sharing the Speaker and the Judiciary Committee chair is the core of parliamentary democracy. She criticized the Speaker's actions, characterizing the forced assignment of committees as an effort 'to secure the Judiciary Committee chair to annul President Lee Jae-myung's indictment.'

PPP lawmaker Park Hyung-soo explained that the practice of the first and second parties sharing the Speaker and the Judiciary Committee chair was established starting from the 17th National Assembly. He pointed out that this is in line with the constitutional principle to ensure checks and balances operate in the legislature and accused the Democratic Party of attempting to break these democratic principles.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has indicated a possibility of processing the election of standing committee chairs in a plenary session scheduled for June 30. If negotiations fail, the Democratic Party is expected to unilaterally push for the selection of committee chairs.