Cho Jung-sik, the Speaker of the National Assembly, introduced the slogan for the second half of the assembly as 'A National Assembly Opening the Future with the People' on July 28. He stated, "I will lead South Korea's economic leap and create a National Assembly where citizens can feel its effectiveness."
During his first press conference at the National Assembly's Sarangjae, Cho emphasized, "I will quickly put stalled legislation on people's livelihoods and reform back on track."
He added, "Bills that pass through the standing committees and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee will be processed within the current session as a principle. I will not forget the people's mandate to create a working and productive National Assembly for a moment."
Cho outlined four major visions for the assembly: national sovereignty, effective governance for citizens, future leap, and national interest diplomacy.
Specifically, he announced plans to designate December 3, the day when the constitution and democracy were saved by the people's dedication, as 'National Sovereignty Day.' He also pledged to activate legislative fairs and petition systems to ensure that citizens' voices are effectively conveyed to the National Assembly.
Regarding constitutional amendments, he stated, "I will soon launch a constitutional amendment advisory committee under my direct supervision to organize the roadmap and agenda for amendments. I will work with both ruling and opposition parties to establish a special committee for constitutional amendments, aiming to initiate discussions next year." He noted that next year is an opportune time for amendments as it is a year without elections, emphasizing that while constitutional amendments require patience, timing is crucial.
Additionally, he proposed regularizing plenary sessions to enhance predictability and establishing a 'Legislation Processing Week' to expedite bills directly related to citizens' lives and safety. He promised to activate a 'Citizens' Welfare Legislation Council' to process welfare-related bills swiftly.
To ensure future growth, Cho committed to timely legislation for advanced industries that will drive South Korea's economy, including AI, semiconductors, biotechnology, and K-culture. He emphasized the launch of a 'Committee for Economic Leap' to foster ongoing cooperation between the National Assembly and the business sector, creating an ecosystem where large corporations and small to medium-sized enterprises can grow together. He also mentioned plans for the Sejong Government Complex and the passage of the Special Act on Administrative Capital within the year to promote regional balanced development.
Cho highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, stating, "To respond to the rapidly changing global situation, I will elevate parliamentary diplomacy as a key component of our national diplomatic strategy." He plans to establish a foreign affairs and security office, a think tank for national interest diplomacy, and a future foreign affairs and security strategy center to develop a strategic framework for parliamentary diplomacy.
Regarding the ruling party's unilateral legislative actions and the opposition's repeated filibusters, he remarked, "While there are times when filibusters are necessary, their excessive use is not desirable. We should refrain from filibustering agreed-upon welfare and economic bills between the parties."
He added that on contentious bills where the parties differ, "I will encourage both parties to negotiate and discuss patiently, but I will make bold decisions when necessary."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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