The Democratic Party of Korea will bring what it calls the "judicial reform package"—including the administrative integration act, an increase in Supreme Court justices, a petition-for-trial system, and a crime of distorting the law—to a floor vote during the February extraordinary session, which ends on Mar. 3. The People Power Party is expected to counter with a filibuster (a lawful obstruction of proceedings through unlimited debate) in opposition to the ruling party's push.
According to political circles on the 22nd, the Democratic Party will convene a plenary session on the 24th to advance a number of reform bills. In step with the plenary schedule, The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee is also set to hold a full session on the 23rd.
The bills the Democratic Party places at the top of its priority list are the special acts on administrative integration for Gwangju–South Jeolla, Daegu–North Gyeongsang, and Daejeon–South Chungcheong. To elect an integrated special mayor in the June 3 local elections, the special acts must pass the plenary this month. However, with the People Power Party and others voicing opposition to the South Chungcheong–Daejeon integration special act, last-minute coordination of positions appears likely.
The party also plans to pass the "judicial reform package"—comprising an increase in Supreme Court justices, a petition-for-trial system, and a crime of distorting the law—during the February session. As these bills have already cleared the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's threshold, they can be placed on the plenary agenda at any time. However, even within the ruling party, there are views that the crime of distorting the law is unconstitutional. The Democratic Party will hold a general assembly of its lawmakers at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the day to gather opinions on these bills.
The third amendment to the Commercial Act and the amendment to the Amnesty Act, both passed by the first subcommittee on bill review of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, could also reach the floor. The third Commercial Act amendment would mandate corporations' cancellation of treasury shares, while the Amnesty Act amendment would limit the president's pardon power in cases of insurrection and treason.
If the ruling party unilaterally pushes through contentious bills, the People Power Party plans to launch a filibuster. In response, the Democratic Party could hold daily plenary sessions through Mar. 3 to counter the filibuster. As the National Assembly Act has been revised to allow the speaker to delegate presiding authority, the physical burden on the presiding officer has also been eased.
In political circles, there is speculation that, in addition to a filibuster, the People Power Party could use the special act on investment in the United States as a countermeasure. The People Power Party currently chairs the National Assembly's special committee on the special act on investment in the United States.