The Democratic Party of Korea said it has no choice but to push the government organization act amendment in two phases. The reason, it noted, is the uncertainty over whether linked bills such as the Financial Supervisory Commission establishment act will be handled. On top of that, with the creation of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy and the separation of the Planning and Budget Office and the Ministry of Finance and Economy intertwined, discussions on reorganizing National Assembly standing committees have become inevitable ahead of the October parliamentary inspection. There are also projections that confusion will be unavoidable for each standing committee.
Han Jeong-ae, the Democratic Party policy committee chair, said at a press briefing at the National Assembly on the 14th, "We aim to pass the entire government organization act on Sept. 25," but added, "If there is no bipartisan agreement, and if the Financial Supervisory Commission establishment act and the Act on the Management of Public Institutions do not pass the plenary session together, we will have no choice but to designate them for the fast track, and that will take six months."
If the ruling and opposition parties fail to reach an agreement on related laws for the government organization reshuffle, including the Financial Supervisory Commission establishment act, the Democratic Party's policy is to push the government organization act amendment in two phases.
Han, the policy committee chair, explained, "We will implement what can take effect as of Jan. 2 and put the rest on the fast track to handle additionally. We have to amend the government organization act twice."
The government organization act amendment that the Democratic Party submitted as its party platform on the 12th includes major overhauls such as abolishing the Prosecutors' Office and creating the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Office, separating the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Planning and Budget Office, and creating the Financial Supervisory Commission, the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, and the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission. Among these, the separation of the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Planning and Budget Office and the reorganization of the financial authorities are premised on taking effect on Jan. 2 next year. If the National Policy Committee of the National Assembly, whose chairperson is a lawmaker from the People Power Party, does not cooperate on the bill to reorganize the Financial Supervisory Commission, the plan is to revise and pass the government organization act again when the fast-track period ends and to adjust the timing of the organizational revamp.
A bigger issue is that a reorganization of standing committees is inevitable with less than a month to go before the parliamentary inspection. Some ministries, including the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, are aiming to implement the revamp next month, and once a new ministry launches, the agencies subject to oversight and the scope of duties will change for each standing committee. A lawmaker on the Industry, Trade, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee said, "We have already finished preparing for the energy-sector inspection, so we don't know what to do. We hope the standing committees will be sorted out quickly before the inspection."
Han, the policy committee chair, also said, "There is a need to change the names of the standing committees or adjust their headcounts," adding, "We are discussing with the floor leadership whether to urgently adjust the headcounts of the standing committees to conduct the parliamentary inspection, or to proceed as is and adjust afterward."
On adjusting the duties of the Environment and Labor Committee and the Industry, Trade, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee following the establishment of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, Han said, "From the standpoint of having to conduct the inspection, there is a possibility that preparations (due to the reorganization) have not been made. So we are discussing adjustments, such as a temporary reassignment of standing committee posts, as an alternative," adding, "Depending on the implementation timing, things could be a little different."
While the Democratic Party's position is that "it is not appropriate for the government organization act to go up once more," it is not ruling out the practical possibility of pushing it in two phases. Ultimately, the key variable for smooth handling of the government organization reshuffle is negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties. With the inspection schedule tight, if the reorganization of standing committees is delayed or the government organization overhaul is pushed back, there is a possibility it will lead to controversy over a rushed inspection and to political finger-pointing. Han, the policy committee chair, stressed, "We will consult with the opposition as much as possible to ensure the government organization functions normally."