June 30 Legislative Report: Major Bills Advance Amidst 22nd Assembly Leadership Formation Struggles

22nd National Assembly Intensifies Major Bill Processing Amidst Difficulties in Forming Leadership Structure

Following the opening of the 22nd National Assembly, a fierce confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties continues over the formation of its leadership and committees. However, the processing of key legislation appears set to gain momentum. The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) insists on completing the committee structure within June to avoid missing the legislative "golden time," while the People Power Party (PPP) emphasizes securing the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Amidst this political stalemate, lawmakers from both parties have begun their legislative activities, preparing policy proposals and introducing bills across various sectors, including economic recovery, protection of vulnerable groups, and promotion of specific industries.

The Jo Guk Innovation Party (JIP) has shown particularly active engagement from the outset of the 22nd Assembly's term. Lawmaker Lee Hae-ran emphasizes cooperation with the DPK for economic recovery and protection of the vulnerable, and hopes to be assigned to the Steering Committee to strengthen oversight of the Presidential Office and the Prime Minister's Office. She is also raising her voice on measures to enhance the protection and support of minors within the judicial system, preparing to introduce bills related to child and adolescent rights, such as an amendment to the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes. Lawmaker Kim San is also accelerating preparations for key standing committee activities, including the Steering Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Lawmaker Cha Du-hyun has expressed his intention to actively participate in enacting and amending laws to realize social justice and prevent corruption. Lawmaker Sung Il-gwang, appointed to the Defense Committee, has spoken about the need to improve conditions for soldiers, including shortening military service, and secure defense budgets. Lawmaker Park Won-bin plans to propose an amendment to the "Special Act on Youth Employment Promotion" as the first bill of the 22nd Assembly and has commenced active legislative engagement, including policy proposals and participation in forums for "youth political activation." As the deputy floor leader of the JIP, Rep. Park is focusing on establishing institutional foundations for the economic independence and increased social participation of young people. Lawyer Lee Soon-ja is expected to offer in-depth analysis and improvement measures for the judicial system as a whole. She hopes to be assigned to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and is interested in reviewing bills to strengthen the independence and investigative capacity of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). She is also expected to pursue the introduction of a bill to reduce the prosecution's direct investigation scope through an amendment to the Prosecutors' Office Act.

Legislative activity is also being detected from other parties. According to data submitted by the National Assembly Secretariat at the request of Rep. Na Kyung-won of the PPP, 320 agenda items have been passed by a vote in standing and special committees since the launch of the 22nd Assembly in May 2024, despite objections. This figure surpasses the 61 cases in the 21st Assembly and is the highest on record compared to 44 in the 18th, 10 in the 19th, and 7 in the 20th Assemblies. Notably, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, chaired by a DPK lawmaker, accounted for an overwhelming 192 cases, raising concerns about unilateral processing in bill handling. Furthermore, in 2023, U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican) introduced bills to limit China's influence, such as banning Chinese companies from listing on U.S. stock exchanges and restricting Chinese government purchases of U.S. real estate. In 2021, she also introduced a bill opposing mandatory vaccination, demonstrating active legislative engagement on specific issues. Similar to U.S. political trends, the potential for unilateral decision-making when a specific party holds a majority of seats in South Korea is sparking debate over parliamentary operations. Meanwhile, in the state of Maryland, Governor Wes Moore has exercised his authority to issue executive orders during emergencies, making policy decisions at the state government level, and has played a central role in state government operations by exercising authority over the review and approval of the state budget. This exemplifies the exercise of power by the executive branch head within the American political system.

Struggles in Committee Formation Negotiations and Standing Committee Allocation Conflicts

The conflict between the ruling and opposition parties over the formation of leadership and committees has continued since the launch of the 22nd National Assembly. The gap in positions between the DPK and the PPP, particularly concerning the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, remains unbridged, prolonging negotiations for standing committee allocations. The DPK emphasizes the legislative "golden time" and insists on completing the committee structure within June to ensure the normal functioning of the Assembly. To this end, they are reportedly considering convening a plenary session on the 30th to prioritize the election of the 11 committee chairmen allocated to the DPK. If negotiations fail, there is a possibility that the DPK could claim all 18 standing committee chairmanships. This raises concerns that checks and balances in the legislative process could be further weakened, given the DPK's precedent of unilaterally passing 61 agenda items in the 21st Assembly.

Conversely, the PPP is adamant about "absolutely defending" the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and strongly opposes the DPK's push for unilateral selection of committee chairmen. The PPP characterizes the DPK's actions as the "arrogant ruling power refusing to recognize the opposition party as a partner in governance" and criticizes it as a refusal to engage in dialogue and cooperation. Furthermore, after the deadline for submitting the standing committee allocation plan, set for noon on the 29th by Speaker Cho Jeong-sik, passed without resolution, the final notification of the plenary session on the 30th was issued, leading to predictions that the momentum for negotiation will weaken. This confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is causing significant concern as it could hinder the Assembly's core functions of legislation and policy deliberation. As standing committees play a crucial role in expert review of bills and policy development, delays in committee formation can impede efforts to resolve pressing public livelihood issues and secure drivers of national development.

Trends in Major Bill Introductions and Policy Implications

Since the opening of the 22nd National Assembly, various parties and lawmakers have been preparing policy proposals and introducing bills in diverse areas. Lawmakers Lee Hae-ran and Park Won-bin of the JIP are focusing on drafting bills to strengthen the protection of vulnerable groups and support for young people. This reflects a policy will to promote livelihood stability amidst recent economic uncertainties and support the growth of future generations. In particular, the proposed amendment to the "Special Act on Youth Employment Promotion" by Rep. Park Won-bin is expected to contribute to resolving youth unemployment issues and creating stable job opportunities. The JIP is also paying attention to judicial system reforms. Lawmaker Lee Soon-ja is reviewing and preparing to introduce bills to enhance the independence and investigative capacity of the CIO and reduce the prosecution's direct investigation scope, which is expected to inject new vitality into discussions on prosecution reform.

The mention by Rep. Sung Il-gwang, as a member of the Defense Committee, of shortening military service and improving conditions for soldiers is interpreted as reflecting societal demands for enhanced defense capabilities alongside improved welfare for service members. This could have a significant impact on long-term defense strategy formulation, intertwined with securing defense budgets and reforming the military structure.

The legislative processing methods of the political sphere also warrant attention. According to data from Rep. Na Kyung-won, 320 agenda items have been passed by unilateral vote in the 22nd Assembly, a trend particularly pronounced within the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. This raises fundamental questions about transparency and consensus-building in decision-making processes. Beyond the content of the bills themselves, a discussion is needed on whether the procedures for processing them align with democratic principles. For instance, in the case of the "Amendment to the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Farmland Management Fund Act," 64 members of the PPP voted in favor and 10 against, indicating dissenting votes within the party. Similarly, the "Amendment to the Act on Promotion of Resource Conservation and Recycling" also saw 66 PPP members vote for and 8 against, showing internal dissent. These figures demonstrate the existence of lawmakers holding positions contrary to party lines on specific bills, suggesting the potential for similar cases in the future. This highlights that when bills are passed through processes that incorporate diverse opinions and thorough deliberation within the National Assembly, their acceptance and effectiveness can be enhanced.

Future Prospects and Challenges

The 22nd National Assembly faces the challenge of promptly resolving difficulties in committee formation negotiations and accelerating the processing of a backlog of public livelihood issues and key legislation. While the DPK, with its majority, is likely to lead bill processing, legislative progress could encounter significant friction without cooperation from opposition parties. Prolonged conflict over the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chairmanship could weaken the overall operational momentum of the Assembly, negatively impacting the advancement of economic and social policies. Therefore, both ruling and opposition parties must resolve committee formation through broad dialogue and compromise, laying the groundwork for productive parliamentary operations.

The actions of the opposition bloc, led by the JIP, are expected to present new policy agendas in areas such as livelihood economic recovery, protection of vulnerable groups, and judicial system reform. Bills related to youth policy, child and adolescent rights, and prosecution reform are likely to attract attention in future parliamentary discussions. For these bills to become actual legislation, consensus between the ruling and opposition parties and the formation of social consensus are essential. While understanding policy-making processes according to the characteristics of each political system, as exemplified by Maryland's exercise of executive order authority during emergencies or its budget review, is important, the Korean National Assembly must pursue consensus democracy based on the majority rule principle. Therefore, policy decisions should be made after thorough deliberation and debate, rather than unilateral bill processing.

Ultimately, the 22nd National Assembly is tasked with restoring public trust through legislative activities that contribute to tangible improvements in people's lives and national development, transcending political confrontation. Ensuring transparency in the bill processing and adhering to the principles of checks and balances are crucial, alongside operating an open National Assembly that reflects the diverse voices of all segments of society. It remains to be seen whether the Assembly can establish itself as a "working Parliament" that meets the expectations of the public through these efforts.