National Assembly Passes Bill to Extend Itaewon Special Investigation Committee's Mandate

A bill to extend by one year, until Sept. 16, 2027, the mandate of the Special Investigation Committee on the Oct. 29 Itaewon crowd crush — a state body charged with uncovering the truth of the disaster (hereinafter the Special Committee) — passed a plenary session of the National Assembly on the 3rd.

Also handled at the same session, a revision to the National Intelligence Service Act adds "economic security" (the protection of national security in the economic sphere) to the scope of the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) duties and includes "cases suspected of involving international or state-backed hacking organizations" among the targets of its collection of intelligence on cyber threats such as hacking. Speaking in the floor debate against the amendment, Rep. Yoon Jong-oh of the Progressive Party called it "a clear regression that once again permits the NIS's sweeping surveillance of private citizens." "What the National Assembly should be doing right now," Yoon added, "is drawing up democratic controls that can prevent the harms of NIS power abuse." The Rebuilding Korea Party also issued a party notice that day, announcing its formal opposition on the grounds that "broadly expanding the agency's remit to cover even 'suspected' cases runs counter to the purpose of NIS reform."

The Rebuilding Korea Party also cast a party-line vote against a revision to the "Special Act on the Designation of Livelihood-Suitable Business Sectors for Small Business Owners," sponsored by the Democratic Party. The bill would soften criminal punishment for large companies that enter or expand into such livelihood-related business sectors without authorization by first giving them an opportunity to rectify the violation. The party opposed the bill, citing concerns over "indiscriminate market encroachment by large corporations and the questionable effectiveness of corrective orders."

The session also passed a revision to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act that allows members of socially vulnerable groups to receive state-funded assistance from lawyers or certified labor attorneys when claiming industrial accident insurance benefits or requesting a review or reconsideration of benefit decisions. Also approved were a revision to the One-Person Creative Enterprise Promotion Act, which establishes a legal basis for giving preferential treatment to solo creative enterprises in regions facing population decline, and a revision to the Venture Capital Promotion Act that bans major shareholders and others from offering or accepting money, goods, or entertainment.

A proposal to contribute to a relief fund for Nepal's flood victims was also adopted, under which lawmakers will donate an amount equivalent to 3 percent of their September allowances.

Prior to the handling of the bills, the plenary was briefed on next year's budget proposal totaling 821 trillion won, which was approved at a Cabinet meeting on Sept. 1.