National Assembly Speaker Jo Jeong-sik asked floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties to submit by the 24th a list of members for the standing committees to form the latter half of the 22nd National Assembly.

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik (center) heads back to his seat after a commemorative photo during a meeting of floor leaders presided over by the Speaker at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 22nd. From left are Han Byeong-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea; Speaker Cho; and Jeong Jeom-sik, floor leader of the People Power Party./Courtesy of News1

Presiding over a meeting with Democratic Party of Korea Floor Leader Han Byeong-do and People Power Party Floor Leader Jeong Jeom-sik at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 22nd, Speaker Jo said this. The ruling and opposition floor leaderships met in the morning to discuss the allocation of standing committees but failed to reach a conclusion.

Speaker Jo said, "It has been 24 days since the latter-half term of the National Assembly began on the 30th of last month," adding, "There was a negotiation between the negotiating blocs on forming the House at 11 a.m. today (the 22nd), but I heard it broke down. That makes six times in total so far."

He continued, "Talks between the parties keep going in circles and are not moving an inch, so as speaker it is truly embarrassing before the public to wonder how long we must wait," adding, "Because we cannot watch this stalemate indefinitely, I ask that you submit the list of standing committee members for forming the House by noon on the 24th."

Under Article 48, Paragraph 1 of the National Assembly Act, each negotiating bloc's representative lawmaker must request the speaker to appoint standing committee members at least three days before the members' terms expire. If a negotiating bloc does not make the request, the speaker may appoint the standing committee members.

Jang Hyeon-ju, senior public affairs secretary in the speaker's office, told reporters after the floor leaders' meeting ended, "In the July extraordinary session, there are speeches by the negotiating blocs' leaders and interpellations of the government, so for the July session to run normally, the formation of the House cannot spill over into June," adding, "This afternoon (the 22nd), Speaker Jo will send an official letter asking the negotiating blocs to request the appointment of standing committee members."

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