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| An empty chair is seen at the Justice Party's office in the National Assembly, Monday. Following the death of Justice Party lawmaker Roh Hoe-chan, the party is expected to lose its status as a negotiating bloc in the National Assembly, which requires at least 20 of the 293 seats. / Yonhap |
By Park Ji-won
Following the death of Justice Party lawmaker Roh Hoe-chan, the party is expected to lose its status as a negotiating bloc in the National Assembly, which requires at least 20 of the 293 seats.
In April, the Justice Party with six seats and another minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace with 14 seats jointly formed a negotiating bloc named Parliamentary Group for Peace and Justice. However, with Roh's death, the size of the group drops to 19 lawmakers, so the group will automatically lose the status.
Under the current law, negotiating blocs can get more state subsidies and have more rights in the legislative process.
An Assembly official said the group has submitted a document about Roh's death to the Assembly.
"The speaker will sign the document. We will inform the group as early as today it is no longer a negotiating bloc," the official said.
Under the Assembly law, 20 lawmakers not belonging to any negotiation bloc can form a negotiation bloc.
Back in April, the two minor parties joined forces to strengthen their voices in legislative debates such as changes to the Constitution.
The group has been playing a mediating role between larger parties _ the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, the main opposition Liberty Korea Party and the Bareunmirae Party.
There are several independent lawmakers who can possibly join the group, but they are reportedly known to insist on being alone.
The group was planning to lead a standing committee on agriculture and food for the second half of the Assembly's term.
As the first floor leader for the negotiating bloc, Roh used to say "I feel treated like a human for the first time."
Roh committed suicide at an apartment complex in Seoul on Monday amid allegations he accepted illegal political funds connected to an opinion-rigging scandal.
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