The Democratic Party has announced plans to amend fast-track legislation and strengthen requirements for filibusters to accelerate the pace of livelihood-related legislation. Additionally, a bill to replace inactive standing committee chairs is nearing passage.
Han Byeong-do, the party's acting leader and floor leader, stated during a Supreme Council meeting on July 27 that "the National Assembly must operate all standing committees like the government to expedite livelihood legislation," emphasizing that "now is the golden time for people's livelihoods."
He added, "Since the 22nd National Assembly began, the People Power Party has conducted filibusters 32 times, totaling 750 hours. A system designed to protect minority opinions has been misused to paralyze the National Assembly and obstruct livelihood legislation."
Han also noted that the fast-track process, which can take up to 330 days—180 days for standing committees, 90 days for the Judiciary Committee, and 60 days for plenary sessions—has been criticized as a slow track. He asserted that the Democratic Party would rationally revise the National Assembly Act to ensure that filibusters and fast-tracks operate as intended.
During the full meeting of the Operations Committee on the same day, the necessity of the bill was also raised. Representative Ahn Do-geol stated, "We need to contribute to the innovation of the National Assembly by improving the fast-track system, which has devolved into a legislative delay law, to enable productive legislative activities."
Additionally, a bill to amend parts of the National Assembly Act, proposed by Representative Kim Tae-nyeon, was presented at the Operations Committee. This bill aims to allow the replacement of standing committee chairs under certain conditions when their arbitrary scheduling delays meetings or when the review of bills is not conducted without justifiable reasons. It also clarifies the obligation to hold meetings when requested.
Notably, if this obligation is not fulfilled, the duties of the chair will be assumed by the member from the negotiating group with the most members, who is not affiliated with the chair, and the chairperson will designate a deputy to convene the standing committee. This proposal is expected to be discussed further in the subcommittee of the Operations Committee, amid anticipated strong opposition from the People Power Party.
Meanwhile, members of the People Power Party withdrew their boycott of the standing committee and attended the full meeting of the Operations Committee for the first time in the second half of the National Assembly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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