Democratic Party Chairperson Appointment - Lee Chun-seok Designated as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee

Appointment of Democratic Party's Standing Committee Chair - Lee Chun-seok Named as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee

The National Assembly is the central stage for the practice of democracy in politics. This space, where representatives of the people gather to enact laws, review budgets, and oversee the government, clearly reveals the essence of parliamentary politics. In June 2025, the political confrontation surrounding the appointment of the chairs of the standing committees of the 22nd National Assembly serves as an opportunity to reevaluate the role and essence of the National Assembly. The Democratic Party of Korea, as the majority party in the National Assembly, is pursuing responsible organizational composition and normalization of state affairs, while the People Power Party, in response, is demanding the distribution of major standing committees under the justification of 'checks and balances.' However, that justification remains an empty echo without substance, and the actual political responsibility is realized within the strategies and actions of the majority party.

Democratic Party's Strategic Personnel Selection: Trust Proven by Individuals

In this appointment of the standing committee chairs, the Democratic Party has nominated three senior lawmakers to key committees. Representative Lee Chun-seok, a four-term lawmaker, has been appointed as the chair of the Judiciary Committee Representative Han Byeong-do, a three-term member, will chair the Budget and Accounts Committee and Representative Kim Kyo-heung, also a three-term lawmaker, has been designated for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. These appointments are not merely a distribution of personnel but have been selected according to the nature of each committee and political demands. Representative Lee Chun-seok, a four-term senior member from the legal profession, has been engaged in public service for a long time in the Iksan area of Jeollabuk-do. After passing the 30th Bar Exam, he worked as a lawyer and has served as the Secretary General of the National Assembly (ministerial level), establishing himself as a legislative expert. He has built a solid record as a member of the National Assembly's Ethics Committee, the Judiciary Committee secretary, and a member of the Budget Committee, showcasing his expertise in legal review and procedural legitimacy. Given that the Judiciary Committee often experiences intense conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties, it requires legal expertise and a sense of political balance. Representative Lee fulfills all these conditions. Representative Han Byeong-do is a three-term lawmaker currently active in the Iksan City-Eul constituency. With experience as the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, he has extensive skills in policy coordination and negotiation with both ruling and opposition parties. He has proven his diligence and responsibility by recording 100% attendance at the Administrative Safety Committee and is equipped with the practical abilities to handle sensitive fiscal issues such as the review of the second supplementary budget as the chair of the Budget and Accounts Committee. Amid the standoff between the ruling and opposition, he is regarded as a suitable candidate to ensure a swift review of the supplementary budget and transparency in budget management. Representative Kim Kyo-heung, a three-term lawmaker elected in the Incheon Seo-gu Gap district, studied political science at Dongguk University and has served as the Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs in Incheon and Secretary General of the National Assembly (30th, ministerial level). He is a symbolic figure in the Incheon civic movement and democratization movement and has a strong interest in regional development and local autonomy, as well as in the culture, sports and tourism sector. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee has become a focal point for core national tasks such as K-content, sports innovation, and tourism industry revitalization, and Representative Kim's background, which spans both administrative and legislative fields, has been assessed as suitable for the chairmanship.

The People's Power Party's backlash: empty justifications and repeated claims

The People Power Party is strongly opposing the Democratic Party's push for a unilateral appointment of standing committee chairs. They are claiming a principled justification of "checks and balances," insisting that the chairs of the Legislative and Budget Committees should be handed over to the opposition. However, these demands lack persuasive power. Most importantly, during last year's negotiations for the formation of the National Assembly, both parties agreed to assign the Legislative and Budget Committees to the ruling party. The People Power Party is overturning this agreement while asserting their justifications without presenting any practical responsibilities or alternatives. They ignored requests for the submission of the names for the Budget Committee members and have refused to cooperate on holding plenary sessions. It seems they are indulging in political strife rather than engaging in genuine negotiations. Yoo Sang-beom, the Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party, stated that their demands for yielding the Legislative or Budget Committees to the opposition were rejected, leading to a refusal to cooperate in plenary sessions. Park Sung-hoon, the floor spokesperson, claimed that the Democratic Party is trying to monopolize the Legislative and Budget Committees, even using extreme terms like "one-party dictatorship." However, this is merely political rhetoric that disregards logical discourse within the assembly. The People Power Party is masking their role as checks and balances, but it is difficult to evade criticism for avoiding substantive responsibilities. Standing committees are spaces for discussing policies and overseeing their implementation for the benefit of the public. The political battles surrounding these positions ultimately affect the lives of citizens. Hollow opposition is just a baseless claim, and what is necessary to realize cooperative governance and responsible politics is not mere slogans but execution.

The responsibility of the majority party and the sense of balance in democracy

The Democratic Party is the only party that has secured a single majority seat in the 22nd National Assembly. This is a choice made by the people and a political mandate to play a central role in legislation, budget review, and policy advancement. The Democratic Party's stance to take responsibility for national governance based on this majority is a legitimate way of operating the Assembly. The selection of this committee chair is a practical choice to normalize the functions of the National Assembly and address the livelihood issues, not merely a division of power. The Budget and Settlement Committee is facing an urgent task of reviewing the government's supplementary budget, while the Legal Affairs Committee is a key committee responsible for the systematic and textual review of major bills. The Democratic Party maintains that it cannot cede these two positions to the opposition and is seeking to exercise leadership in national governance responsibly. In particular, the Budget and Settlement Committee influences the speed of passing the supplementary budget. In a situation where the opposition party has not even submitted a list of committee members, handing over the chair of the Budget and Settlement Committee to the opposition is likely to result in delays in budget review and paralysis of national governance. Ignoring this reality and merely shouting for 'checks and balances' is nothing more than political rhetoric. The Democratic Party is advancing legitimate procedures and appointments under the responsibility of the majority party, which aligns with the principles of parliamentarianism.

Democracy is the art of execution, not confrontation

Parliamentary politics is the art of execution and cooperation, not confrontation and strife. What the people desire is not a battle of justifications within the political sphere, but practical solutions to issues and the implementation of policies. The chair of the National Assembly's standing committee is a key resource for such execution. The ruling party has the authority to promote its policies through a majority, while the minority party has the responsibility to maintain balance through oversight and criticism. The recent appointments by the Democratic Party are not merely about placing individuals they are part of a substantive preparation for normalizing governance and executing policies. The People Power Party's resistance to this trend and refusal to cooperate is far from the behavior of a responsible opposition. Instead, it is likely to weaken its own presence and leave only an empty echo. Politics is a practice aimed at solving real-world issues. Justifications and slogans are important, but when they are not combined with action, they leave no impact. The People Power Party must stand before the public with policy actions, not just political statements. The Democratic Party is fulfilling the responsibilities of the majority and securing the momentum for governance through its committee appointments. What is needed now is responsibility for the lives of the people, realized through the National Assembly, rather than factional confrontation.