The Democratic Party of Korea said on the 1st that, as the People Power Party halted its filibuster, it would handle four bills at the plenary session that day in a package, including the National Referendum Act amendment and the South Jeolla–Gwangju integration special act.
Floor spokesperson Baek Seung-a said in a written briefing that the plan was to handle at the plenary session the National Referendum Act amendment, the South Jeolla–Gwangju integration special act, the Local Autonomy Act amendment, and the Child Allowance Act amendment.
These bills were matters that the Democratic Party had planned to process one per day through the 3rd, in sequence, after the People Power Party gave notice of a filibuster on each agenda item.
The People Power Party continued unlimited debate through the morning, then in the afternoon held a press briefing chaired by floor leader Song Eon-seog and abruptly declared an end to the filibuster. Instead, it demanded that the Democratic Party convene The National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee to handle the Daegu–North Gyeongsang integration special act.
Accordingly, the filibuster on the National Referendum Act amendment that began at 8:35 p.m. the previous day ended at 3:46 p.m. that day, and the plenary session recessed. The five-night, six-day filibuster that began on the 24th of last month in protest of handling contentious bills, including judicial reform legislation, also wrapped up.
The core of the National Referendum Act amendment is guaranteeing the referendum rights of overseas Koreans. The South Jeolla–Gwangju integration special act and the Local Autonomy Act amendment include grounds for establishing an integrated special city and plans to grant special cases. The Child Allowance Act amendment raises the age for payment of the allowance and includes provisions to allow additional payments in non-capital regions or areas with declining populations.
The Democratic Party says it will not open a full session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee to handle the Daegu–North Gyeongsang integration special act that day. Floor leader Han Byung-do told reporters, "Even local councils in North Gyeongsang are voicing opposition to integration," and said, "The Legislation and Judiciary Committee will not meet today."
Floor spokesperson Baek criticized the People Power Party's suspension of the filibuster, saying it "is an admission that it was an unjustified hostage-taking of people's livelihoods."