The National Assembly will hold a plenary session on the 27th and is expected to elect the currently vacant standing committee chairs, including the chairperson of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. The People Power Party has shifted its stance to cooperate only in the election of the chairperson of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, while the Democratic Party plans to elect all remaining standing committee chairs, including the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, at once on that day.
The National Assembly announced that it will convene a plenary session at 2 p.m. on that day. The Democratic Party plans to elect Lee Chun-seok (fourth term, Jeonbuk Iksan-si Gap), Han Byung-do (third term, Jeonbuk Iksan-si Eul), and Kim Kyo-heung (third term, Incheon Seo-gu Gap), who were respectively nominated for the chairpersons of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, and Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee the previous day.
The Democratic Party emphasized that it cannot delay the election of the five currently vacant standing committee chairs, including the chairperson of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, to expedite the review of the second supplementary budget of 30.5 trillion won aimed at restoring the livelihood economy.
Kim Byeong-ki, the acting party leader and floor leader, said during the Supreme Council meeting held in the National Assembly that "our economy is facing a serious crisis. The proportion of households and individual business owners who are unable to repay borrowed money on time is at its highest level in over 10 years," adding, "Now is the time for the government to pursue active fiscal policies. The National Assembly must respond quickly."
Jeon Hyun-hee, a supreme council member of the Democratic Party, urged, "Not ignoring the suffering of the people is the way for the People Power Party to truly transform into the people's power," and called for bipartisan cooperation in the National Assembly, including the formation of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, so that the supplementary budget can be passed promptly.
The People Power Party also shifted its stance to cooperate in the election of the chairperson of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. Song Eon-seok, the floor leader of the People Power Party, stated at the floor strategy meeting that "the supplementary budget is a very important task that needs to be passed quickly," and added, "We intend to cooperate so that we can elect the chairperson of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts promptly."
Nevertheless, it was reiterated that the chairperson of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee should belong to the opposition party. Floor leader Song said, "Before the meeting, I asked the speaker for a little more time to discuss the candidates for the standing committee chair, but the speaker said that enough time had already been given and that no more time could be provided," urging the Democratic Party to negotiate so that the spirit of cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties can be restored and the principle of balance and checks that has been maintained in the National Assembly for a long time can be revived.
The Democratic Party clearly stated that the distribution of standing committee chairs is not subject to negotiation. Kim Hyun-jeong, the floor spokesperson, told the media, "Floor leader Song mentioned that he urged the Democratic Party to negotiate again regarding the other standing committee chairs aside from the chairperson of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. However, the Democratic Party's position remains unchanged."
The ruling and opposition parties have met several times to discuss the reallocation of standing committee chairs in the National Assembly and the schedule for the plenary session, but they did not reach an agreement. The People Power Party has argued that since the political landscape has shifted, the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee should belong to the opposition party for the sake of checks and balances in the legislative body. In contrast, the Democratic Party maintains that since the composition of standing committees for the 22nd National Assembly's first half has already been completed, their terms should be extended for another year.