Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Party standoff deepens over fast-track reform bills
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Hong Young-pyo holds a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday, denouncing the main opposition Liberty Korea Party's attempt to block reform bills. Yonhap
By Lee Min-hyung
By Lee Min-hyung
The confrontation between the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and four other parties deepened Sunday after the LKP vowed to use all possible means to block the latters' move to fast-track reform bills.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) filed complaints with the police against 18 LKP members, including its floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won, for using violence to block related National Assembly committees from holding meetings where they were supposed to vote on whether to push the bills forward. In response, the LKP reported 17 DPK members, including floor leader Rep. Hong Young-pyo, to the police, claiming they assaulted the LKP members.
The partisan conflict escalated into a battle for public opinion over the weekend, with the rival parties appealing for public support through street rallies or press conferences, following their recent violent clash in the Assembly.
Since Thursday, the LKP has carried out a sit-in protest inside the Assembly building, to show its opposition to the move to fast-track bills on judicial and political reform.
The DPK is pushing ahead with its plan to fast-track the bills on electoral reform and the establishment of a special unit to investigate high-ranking government officials suspected of corruption. The LKP is protesting the move, particularly the electoral reform bill, saying this would allow “leftist coalition forces” to take up more than half the seats in the National Assembly.
Liberty Korea Party floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won holds a press conference at the Assembly, the same day, to criticize the ruling Democratic Party of Korea over its move to fast-track reform bills. Yonhap
On Saturday, LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn led a large-scale rally in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul, denouncing President Moon Jae-in for seeking to conduct electoral reform “to favor the ruling party.”
“The leftist administration is trying to complete the last piece of a puzzle for a dictatorship,” Hwang said during the rally in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
“The incumbent administration is seeking to build an electoral system to its advantage by attempting to fast-track bills on electoral reform,” Hwang said.
This is the second time that Hwang has led an outdoor rally since he became the leader of the main opposition party in February. On April 20, he also ramped up criticism of the Moon administration for appointing two constitutional justices despite opposition from conservative parties.
In response, the ruling party urged the LKP to stop holding such “unjustifiable rallies,” and shift its focus onto a swift handling of pending bills dealing with the public's livelihood.
“The LKP should stop carrying out this strategy of attempting to benefit by taking issue with every single reform drive of the Moon Jae-in administration, and paralyzing the Assembly without paying any attention to the public,” DPK spokesman Hong Ik-pyo said.
“The LKP needs to keep in mind that the Assembly is where the party belongs to handle matters related to the people's livelihood,” he said.
The ruling party reiterated Sunday its strong determination to fast-track the reform bills.
DPK floor leader Hong said he would file an additional lawsuit Monday against some LKP lawmakers who are staging the sit-in protest.
On Friday, the DPK filed a complaint against the 18 LKP lawmakers, claiming they violated Assembly laws by using violence to block parliamentary activities.
“According to the National Assembly Advancement Act, we filed the complaint against LKP members including floor leader Rep. Na, and we are going to accuse more lawmakers by submitting evidence.”
He said the party will continue to file lawsuits against any party member or secretary who breaks the act and blocks meetings of special committees on the reform bills.
The LKP also filed a complaint with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, accusing the 17 DPK members of committing violence against those who staged the sit-in protest.