As disagreements over the composition of the National Assembly persist, tensions are escalating after the People Power Party rejected a proposed list of committee members by Speaker Cho Jeong-sik by noon on June 24.
During an emergency press conference, Han Byeong-do, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated, "The People Power Party has paralyzed the entire National Assembly over a single position, the chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. They keep repeating the words 'Legislation and Judiciary Committee' and 'tradition' like parrots."
Han emphasized, "The public clearly remembers what happened when the People Power Party held the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. We cannot hand over such a dangerous tool to a group that neglects the people's livelihood."
He issued an ultimatum, saying, "If the People Power Party does not submit the committee member list by noon on June 26, as proposed by Speaker Cho, the Democratic Party will take responsibility for managing all 18 committees."
In response, Kim Seung-soo, the senior deputy floor leader of the People Power Party, explained to reporters after the meeting with Speaker Cho that, "We have consistently stated that we cannot submit the list until an agreement on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is reached."
He added, "In the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, the Democratic Party unilaterally forced the distribution of committees, leading to disruptions in the National Assembly and ongoing confrontations between the two parties. The People Power Party hopes for a swift normalization of the National Assembly through negotiations, but for that to happen, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee must be returned to us as per the original tradition."
In response, Chief Spokesperson Jang Hyun-joo told reporters, "Speaker Cho expressed disappointment over the lack of a list from the People Power Party. He mentioned that if the list is not submitted by noon on June 26, he will have no choice but to consider the committee appointment process himself. There is a consensus that the People Power Party needs to act quickly, so we will wait a little longer."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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