The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, August 13, 2022 | 02:36
-------------------------
Speaker postpones passing 91 bills till next week
국회 본회의 90개 법안 처리유보…30일 재소집
Posted : 2014-09-26 17:06
Updated : 2014-09-26 20:38
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Jun Ji-hye

National Speaker Chung Ui-hwa declared Friday that he would postpone the passage of 91 pending bills until Tuesday, calling on the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) to participate in the plenary session.

"I decided to change the parliamentary schedule as I trusted in the sincerity of the opposition," said Chung. "I apologize to the public for the delay in passing the bills."

Chung had declared on Sept. 16 that he would use his authority to open a plenary session on Friday, saying, "The Assembly can no longer delay its duties."

The ruling Saenuri Party supported that, clinging to its position that it now had no choice but to pass pending bills unilaterally at the earliest possible date. Once a plenary session is held, the ruling party can unilaterally pass bills because it holds a majority of seats.

As promised, Chung declared the opening of the plenary session Friday afternoon, but the session broke up after only nine minutes, during which Chung delivered a short speech. Only members of the governing camp attended the session.

"The National Assembly has failed to discuss a backlog of pending bills, although it has a tight schedule until Dec. 2, when the parliament needs to handle the government's budget proposal for next year," said Chung. "It is regrettable that only ruling party members came to the session."

Following the postponement, the Saenuri Party's floor leader, Rep. Lee Wan-koo, offered to resign from his post "to take responsibility for the crippled operation of the Assembly." He also criticized the speaker, saying, "Chung is neglecting the deadlock."

However, Chairman Kim Moo-sung would not accept Lee's resignation. Kim said his party was preparing a motion to dismiss the speaker, and would submit it if the opposition again refused to attend the session on Tuesday.

Since May, the Assembly has not passed a single bill because rival parties have been locking horns over a special Sewol bill, designed to set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the man-made disaster that killed more than 300 passengers in April.

Rival floor leaders, Saenuri's Lee and the NPAD's Park Young-sun, along with fellow lawmakers, met twice ahead of the plenary session, but failed to reach a consensus on whether to pass 91 bills in the plenary session and how to wrap up the rivals' negotiations over the Sewol bill.

Ruling party members argued that the 91 bills were directly and indirectly related to the people's livelihood and the nation's economic conditions, and not subjects of political strife.

They stressed that the parties had already agreed to pass the bills because they had been approved by standing committees. These bills include revisions to the National Basic Living Security Law and the Illegal Solicitation Prohibition Law.

The NPAD criticized the ruling party for holding the plenary session unilaterally without the agreement of the opposition. It said the Saenuri Party was moving to ignore legislative procedures.

The largest opposition party has adhered to its stance that the Sewol bill should be addressed with the highest priority before other pending bills are discussed.

"There has been some progress in negotiations regarding the Sewol bill. The unilateral handling of the plenary session by the ruling party will only cause unnecessary disturbance," said Rep. Park Beom-kye, spokesman of the NPAD.

However, the ruling party downplayed the opposition's argument.

"The NPAD has failed to unify opinions inside the party. We are not sure about the position of the bereaved families of the victims, either," said Saenuri's floor leader Lee. "The status of Rep. Park Young-sun as the opposition's floor leader has been severely damaged too, while the party has experienced serious internal discord."

Reports said Rep. Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the NPAD, asked the speaker on Thursday to postpone the plenary session until Monday, as the opposition party plans to hold a meeting on Sunday for all lawmakers to decide whether to attend the plenary session.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye


국회 본회의 90개 법안 처리유보…30일 재소집

국회는 26일 새정치민주연합을 포함한 야당이 불참한 채 새누리당 의원들만 참석한 가운데 본회의를 열었으나 애초 예정됐던 90개의 안건 처리 없이 산회했다.  

정의화 의장은 오후 3시 본회의 개회 후 9분 만에 오는 30일 본회의를 재소집해 법률안을 다시 처리할 계획이라며 의사일정 재조정    방침을 알리고, 곧바로 산회를 선포했다. 

본회의에는 재적 의원 300명 가운데 국제회의에 참석 중인 나경원 문대성 의원과 구속수감 중인 박상은 조현룡 의원을 제외한 새누리당 의원 154명이 참석해 법안처리 요건을 갖췄지만 정 의장의 본회의 연기로 무산됐다. 

정 의장은 본회의 개회 직후 호소문 형식의 글을 낭독, '제발 그만 싸우고 산적한 민생현안부터 처리하라는 국민의 준엄한 명령 받들어 본회의를 열었다'면서 '그러나 의장으로서 국정감사를 비롯한 정기국회 일정의 원만한 일정도 고려해야 한다'고 말했다.  

정 의장은 '본회의를 며칠만 연기해 달라는 야당 요청의 진정성을 믿고 의사 일정을 변경해 30일 본회의를 재소집하려고 한다'면서 '어떤 경우에도 30일에는 본회의를 소집해서 모든 안건을 처리할 것'이라고 밝혔다. 

그러면서 '국정을 책임진 여당은 정기국회에 산적한 예산과 주요 입법을 처리해야 하는 과제도 생각해야 한다'고 덧붙였다. 

이에 따라 이날 본회의에서 세월호특별법을 제외한 90여개의 계류 법안을 분리 처리해 한 달 가까이 공전 사태에 빠진 정기국회를 정상화하려는 새누리당의 시도는 일단 무산됐다. 

30일 본회의에서는 이미 운영위를 통과한 '2014년 국감 정기회 회기중 실시의 건'과 이날 상정할 예정이었던 계류 법안 등이 한꺼번에    안건으로 오를 전망이다.  

여기에 정 의장은 상임위에 계류 중인 43개의 법률안도 조속한 논의를 통해 본회의 부의를 요구했다. 

그러나 세월호특별법을 둘러싼 여야간 쟁점이 여전히 해소되지 않아 30일 본회의가 정상적으로 가동될지 미지수다. (연합뉴스)
Emailjjh@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
  • Seoul City to retrofit manholes to prevent fatal falls during floods
  • Disney beats Netflix in streaming subscribers
  • Yoon pardons Samsung chief, other business tycoons to 'overcome economic crisis'
  • Ruling party politicians' visits to flood-damaged areas cause stir
  • Korea lacks data to operate autonomous vehicles
  • Star novelist's 'Harbin' on Korean independence fighter becomes bestseller
  • [Exclusive] KDB accelerates drive to set up new hub in EU
  • Naturalized Korean proposes inclusion of migrant brides in transport subsidy bill
  • Lotte Chilsung Beverage CEO's leadership questioned over numerous scandals
  • Hyundai to set up Robot AI research institute in US
  • Interactive News
  • With tough love,
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • A tale of natural wine
    • Death of young webtoon artist sparks controversy over harsh working conditions Death of young webtoon artist sparks controversy over harsh working conditions
    • 'Good Doctor' director to debut Netflix's high-strung suspense series, 'A Model Family' 'Good Doctor' director to debut Netflix's high-strung suspense series, 'A Model Family'
    • Musical 'Kinky Boots' tells people to love themselves as they are Musical 'Kinky Boots' tells people to love themselves as they are
    • Crime thriller 'Limit' is about mother's quest to save abducted son Crime thriller 'Limit' is about mother's quest to save abducted son
    • From P1Harmony to Zico, K-pop hotshots to perform in Abu Dhabi next month From P1Harmony to Zico, K-pop hotshots to perform in Abu Dhabi next month
    DARKROOM
    • Ice is melting, land is burning

      Ice is melting, land is burning

    • Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

      Tottenham 6-3 Team K League

    • Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

      Afghanistan earthquake killed more than 1,000

    • Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

      Divided America reacts to overturn of Roe vs. Wade

    • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

      Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    The Korea Times
    CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
    Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
    Tel : 02-724-2114
    Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
    Date of registration : 2020.02.05
    Masthead : The Korea Times
    Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
    • About Us
    • Introduction
    • History
    • Location
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
    • Products & Service
    • Subscribe
    • E-paper
    • Mobile Service
    • RSS Service
    • Content Sales
    • Policy
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
    • 고충처리인
    • Youth Protection Policy
    • Code of Ethics
    • Copyright Policy
    • Family Site
    • Hankook Ilbo
    • Dongwha Group