Han Byeong-do, the floor leader of the Democratic Party, stated on September 1 that the first regular session of the 22nd National Assembly marks a "golden time" for the success of the Lee government and the great leap forward for South Korea. He emphasized the need to expedite the processing of livelihood-related legislation and national policy initiatives. Regarding the government reshuffle, he announced that the confirmation hearings for cabinet members would be completed before Chuseok.
During a meeting of the Democratic Party's floor leadership, Han remarked, "The Democratic Party will not be swayed by any obstacles or difficulties and will move forward solely toward the goal of serving the people and improving livelihoods."
He expressed the party's urgent commitment to the regular session, stating, "The tasks of legislation, budget review, and confirmation hearings are all critically important and cannot be delayed. We will ensure that livelihood legislation is not stalled due to confirmation hearings, nor will budget reviews be delayed because of political disputes."
Han also pledged to fully activate the standing committees to address legislation aimed at expanding housing supply, eradicating real estate speculation, stabilizing prices, and supporting small business owners. He assured that the party would responsibly oversee legislation that supports youth employment and asset formation until it passes the plenary session.
Additionally, he reiterated the commitment to conclude the confirmation hearings for ministerial candidates before Chuseok, stating, "We will conduct the hearings responsibly so that the new cabinet can quickly establish itself and focus on governance. We will thoroughly verify candidates' capabilities from the perspective of the public while firmly responding to any baseless smear campaigns."
Regarding the government's recent 'Youth Budget Unboxing 2027' event, where youth budgets and key projects were explained, Han described it as a new initiative by the Lee government to design budgets based on the lives and needs of young people rather than from the perspective of the providers.
He criticized the opposition party, saying, "The People Power Party has belittled these efforts as cash handouts and publicity stunts. How can investments in youth jobs, housing, education, and asset formation be considered cash giveaways? We must not turn investments that protect the present and prepare for the future of our youth into political fodder."
Furthermore, he stated, "The time for nonsensical filibusters and habitual obstruction that holds livelihood legislation hostage is over. We will ensure that the 2027 budget is processed by the legal deadline to accelerate the recovery of livelihoods and prepare for a better future for South Korea."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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