The ruling and opposition parties are locked in a war of nerves over holding a plenary session of the National Assembly on the 13th. That is because there is a strong chance that a revision to the National Assembly Act to shorten the fast-track (expedited agenda) period will be introduced. On the surface, however, the Democratic Party of Korea is asking the People Power Party to cooperate, saying bills related to the supply of dwellings must be handled. The People Power Party countered that "the Democratic Party is using livelihood bills as an excuse."
Han Byeong-do, acting leader of the Democratic Party and floor leader, said at a floor countermeasures meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 11th, "The People Power Party should cooperate in holding a plenary session on the 13th and move to pass livelihood bills," adding, "If you oppose the bills, then come into the plenary chamber and cast a no vote."
He added, "The People Power Party is blocking the holding of the plenary session on the 13th on the grounds that it opposes the revision to the National Assembly Act that shortens the fast-track period," and said, "There is no reason to refuse the plenary session itself and hold up more than 100 livelihood bills just to block a vote on this revision."
Citing the Urban Regeneration and Maintenance Act, which eases floor area ratio limits for reconstruction projects, and the Special Act on Complex Development of School Sites, which uses school land for complex development, Han stressed, "Bills that would back the supply of dwellings, which the People Power Party so strongly emphasizes, are also at the threshold of the plenary session."
The People Power Party, for its part, proposed holding the plenary session on the 20th. It said deliberation is needed on the revision to the National Assembly Act, with political issues still unresolved. It pointed out that the Democratic Party's claim that real estate supply bills have failed to pass the plenary because of the People Power Party is "nothing but an excuse."
Choi Su-jin, the People Power Party's senior deputy floor spokesperson, met with reporters after a floor countermeasures meeting at the National Assembly that morning and said, "Bills for people's livelihoods that were agreed upon should of course pass with our full cooperation," adding, "They are making excuses that we are not cooperating on real estate supply bills, which is an absurd answer. Has there been any bill that actually passed so far after the Democratic Party consulted with us?"
She went on, "Who would accept it if the ruling party, which has pushed through the bills it wants until now, complains of opposition obstruction only when it comes to legislation on the supply of dwellings?" and added, "Bills with political issues have not yet been agreed upon. We have proposed holding the plenary session on the 20th."