National Assembly regular session kicks off amid deepening partisan divide

Lawmakers salute the national flag during the opening ceremony of the regular session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. Ruling Democratic Party of Korea members, mostly in the front, are seen wearing hanbok, Korea’s traditional dress, as suggested by Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. Main opposition People Power Party lawmakers, in contrast, are in black suits resembling funeral attire as they protest the ruling party's railroading of contentious bills. Yonhap

The National Assembly opened its 100-day regular session Monday, with fierce clashes expected between the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and main opposition People Power Party (PPP) over contentious bills.

Over the next 100 days, lawmakers plan to take up next year’s budget and debate reforms and other proposed bills.

Rival party leaders are scheduled to give policy speeches — the DPK on Sept. 9 and the PPP on Sept. 10 — and conduct audits of government agencies from Sept. 15 to 18. Confirmation hearings for the education and gender equality ministers are also expected in the coming days.

The opening ceremony laid bare the deepening partisan divide.

DPK members wore hanbok, Korea’s traditional dress, as suggested by Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, calling it a gesture of respect for the nation’s identity and culture. PPP lawmakers rejected the idea and appeared in black suits resembling funeral clothing, in protest of what they called the ruling party’s unilateral passage of bills.

The contrast in attire reflected a broader clash as the two parties head into battle over legislative and political priorities.

The DPK pledged to advance more than 200 bills during the session, centered on four themes: livelihood, growth, reform and public safety. Among them is a revision to the Government Organization Act, to separate prosecutors’ investigative and indictment powers as part of a sweeping prosecutorial reform.

Overhauling the prosecution, which is a central pledge of President Lee Jae Myung, is at the top of the liberal party’s agenda.

The plan is based on criticism that the prosecution service, which has exclusive authority over indictments, wields excessive power. DPK leaders aim to complete the legislation before the Chuseok holiday, which begins Oct. 3.

Other key bills being pushed by the DPK include measures allowing punitive damages for false reporting in the media and on platforms like YouTube, as well as proposals to expand the number of Supreme Court justices.

Members of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea take a selfie during the opening ceremony of the National Assembly’s regular session, Monday. Yonhap

"We will not miss the golden window for reform," DPK Chairman Rep. Jung Chung-rae said during a party meeting earlier in the day.

"Our party will complete the three reform tasks — prosecutorial, media and judicial reform — during this regular session," he added, stressing that the success of the Lee administration hinges on these priorities.

The PPP has vowed to resist what it calls the DPK’s "legislative overdrive" and has outlined 100 priority bills under the slogan "restoring the economy, livelihoods and public trust."

Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, elected as the conservative party’s new leader on Aug. 26, faces the challenge of mapping out its strategy against the DPK.

Members of the main opposition People Power Party sing the national anthem during the opening ceremony of the National Assembly’s regular session, Monday. The ribbons on their chests read: "Condolences on the death of parliamentary democracy." Yonhap

"The DPK says it wants to move forward into the future, but it remains focused on attacking us, the opposition party," Jang said during a meeting with Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, held just hours before the opening ceremony. "If controversial bills are passed without sufficient consultation between the ruling and opposition parties, the people will ultimately bear the burden."

However, the opposition party’s ability to block DPK-backed bills is limited. The DPK holds 166 of the Assembly’s 298 seats, while the PPP holds just 107. Passing a bill requires attendance of at least half of all parliamentary members, and approval by a majority of those present.

Other key events at the Assembly session include confirmation hearings for the nominees to head the education and gender equality ministries — the two remaining vacancies in Lee’s Cabinet after earlier nominees for the posts withdrew.

Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister nominee Choi Kyo-jin is scheduled for a confirmation hearing Tuesday, and Gender Equality Minister nominee Won Min-kyung is scheduled for Wednesday.

The PPP is likely to scrutinize Choi’s history of controversial political remarks, a past DUI conviction and allegations of plagiarism in his master’s dissertation.