On June 27, a consolidated vote on the chairs of the Legislative and Budget Committees took place at the National Assembly - a decision made by Chairman Woo Won-sik.

National Assembly, Standing Committee Chairperson, Political Landscape

The Current Situation and Necessity of the National Assembly

On June 27, 2025, the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is facing a critical moment. On this day, the agenda for the main session will include the election of key standing committee chairs that have been vacant for some time. Core committees such as the Legislative and Judiciary Committee, the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, the Committee on Operations, and the Committee on Culture, Sports and Tourism have been in a prolonged state of vacancy, which has effectively paralyzed the legislative and budget review functions of the National Assembly. This is not merely an organizational issue but a matter that significantly impacts overall government operation related to the people's livelihood, including the review of livelihood bills and supplementary budgets. The timing of the budget has been disrupted, and numerous bills have been stalled in the relevant committees without progress. The vacancy in the National Assembly has directly translated to harm for the citizens. Amidst the urgent need for normalization of the National Assembly, the political sphere was also in the midst of a complicated realignment. The Democratic Party secured leadership in the operation of the National Assembly through the general and presidential elections, while the People Power Party faces the significant task of reorganizing its internal leadership and addressing internal fractures following its presidential election defeat. In this unstable political landscape, the election of standing committee chairs has emerged not just as a matter of sharing positions but as a symbolic event to gauge the direction and principles of national governance.

livelihood legislation, political confrontation, speaker of the national assembly

Extreme Confrontation Situation

The Democratic Party of Korea has maintained its position to elect the key committee chairs, including those of the Judicial and Administrative Committee and the Budget and Account Special Committee, in a lump sum, citing the normalization of the National Assembly for the sake of livelihood legislation and supplementary budget processing. On the other hand, the People Power Party stated that they could cooperate on the chair of the Budget and Account Special Committee, but expressed opposition to bringing the chair of the Judicial and Administrative Committee to a vote in the plenary session, suggesting to continue negotiations. The political arena is at risk of falling back into procedural disputes once again. Time has passed regarding who will yield first, and in that time, livelihood issues have been pushed to the back burner. Citizens are increasingly feeling fatigued, and trust in politics has begun to waver. In this situation, Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik stepped forward as a mediator. He prioritized the recovery of the National Assembly's fundamental functions beyond political interests and made a decision to enable the assembly to operate again.

permanent chairman, plenary session, political decision

The decision of Chairman Woo Won-sik

Chairman Woo Won-shik decided to present the agenda for the election of standing committee chairs to the plenary session ahead of the meeting on June 27. This was not merely a procedural adjustment but an expression of the intent that the National Assembly must fulfill its role. Under the judgment that "the longer the National Assembly is delayed, the more damage will be returned to the people," he chose to put all the committee chair positions for the Judiciary, Budget and Accounts, Operations, and Culture, Sports and Tourism to a vote. This decision was uncomfortable for both the ruling and opposition parties, but it was simultaneously a necessary decision for all. While politics is always best served by consensus, responsible decisions are needed when agreement is far off. As the Speaker of the National Assembly, he did not evade that responsibility and stepped up to ensure the functioning of the assembly. Currently, candidates being mentioned include Lee Chun-seok for the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Han Byeong-do for the chair of the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, Kim Byeong-ki for the chair of the Operations Committee, and Kim Kyo-heung for the chair of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. However, the final selection will be determined by the results of the plenary vote.

The meaning of the normalization of the standing committee

If the vote in this plenary session proceeds as scheduled, it will be a significant turning point for the normalization of the National Assembly. Once the chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is elected, the examination of bills including systematic and textual reviews will be put on track, and the election of the chairperson of the Budget and Accounting Committee will serve as a turning point to resume the review of the government's supplementary budget and the year-end budget. The chairperson of the Operations Committee will restore the National Assembly's functionality through the management of session operations and the Secretariat, while the chairperson of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee will play a role in recovering the legislative environment for related policies. Above all, this decision will mark a moment for the National Assembly to return as an operational organization. After a long delay, once the standing committees are fully operational, the National Assembly will be able to transform back into a legislative body that responds to the voices of the people.

Leadership of Decision

This decision of Speaker Woo Won-sik is a moment that reveals not just a neutral mediator, but a responsible political leader. Instead of merely waiting for an agreement and causing a stagnation in the political landscape, he made a substantial decision based on the principle that 'politics should exist for the people.' His decision to present a 'package vote' demonstrated the possibility that the National Assembly could take charge of the situation rather than being dragged along by it, thus restoring the people's trust. This moment also served as a reminder of the truth that politics must be proven through actions, not words, and through responsibility.

Conclusion - The Return of Politics to the People

When the National Assembly does not function, the ones who suffer the most are always the people. As bills are delayed and budgets are postponed, it soon translates into a hindrance in the lives of the citizens. In that regard, the vote in this plenary session is not just a simple procedure, but it will serve as a touchstone for politics to regain its rightful role. Chairman Woo Won-sik's decision is not a display of ambitious politics, but a practice of responsible politics. This decision, which allows the National Assembly to once again open its doors to the people, creates an opportunity for the entire legislative branch to reaffirm itself as an institution for the citizens, beyond the courage of the individual Speaker. Moving forward, I hope that politics will stand responsibly before the people and that a trusted National Assembly and functioning democracy will be realized.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Strong Resilience of the Global Entertainment and Sports

Revealing the secret of tomato kimchi fried rice that leads to successful dieting!

The Complex Flow of Sports and Entertainment