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UFP likely to give up all committee head posts

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United Future Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young, right, walks with interim party chief Kim Chong-in, left, during their meeting at Beopju Temple on Mount Songni, North Chungcheong Province, Saturday, in this photo released by Rep. Kim Sung-won, second from left, Sunday. / Yonhap
United Future Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young, right, walks with interim party chief Kim Chong-in, left, during their meeting at Beopju Temple on Mount Songni, North Chungcheong Province, Saturday, in this photo released by Rep. Kim Sung-won, second from left, Sunday. / Yonhap

By Kim Rahn

The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) is leaning toward giving up the head positions of all 18 National Assembly standing committees, because the party has no specific means to prevent the ruling bloc's unilateral push to form the committees on its own.


Concluding that holding the chairperson's positions on other committees was meaningless when the Legislation and Judiciary Committee post has already been taken by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the UFP leadership believes it will be better to let the DPK take charge of all the committees and take full responsibility for state affairs.

According to UFP officials, Monday, the party is likely to end its boycott of Assembly sessions this week along with the return of its floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young, who has been visiting temples across the country for about a week after stopping negotiations with the ruling bloc.

The UFP's boycott and Joo's withdrawal came after the DPK, which has a super majority of 176 seats in the 300-strong Assembly, pushed ahead with holding a plenary session and electing the heads of six committees on its own June 15. The six included the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, a key committee conducting oversight on major policies which traditionally is chaired by a main opposition party member to maintain balance.

Upon taking the legislative committee post, the DPK suggested the UFP instead get chief chairpersonships of seven other major committees — an offer the opposition party rejected.

According to party officials, Joo and the party's interim chief of the emergency committee Kim Chong-in have agreed that the party will not take any committee head posts, which they believe would be insufficient in keeping the super majority of the ruling bloc in check.

"They believe, rather than becoming a sidekick of the ruling party, it is better for the DPK to head all of the committees, because the DPK will now have to take full responsibility for legislation of state affairs," a party official said.

First-term UFP lawmakers also contacted Joo and suggested that the party stop boycotting the Assembly, saying it would be more advantageous for it to play the role of main opposition party properly than wrangling over committee head positions.
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, second from right, speaks at a party meeting in the National Assembly, Seoul, Monday, to urge the main opposition United Future Party to stop boycotting Assembly sessions. / Yonhap
Ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, second from right, speaks at a party meeting in the National Assembly, Seoul, Monday, to urge the main opposition United Future Party to stop boycotting Assembly sessions. / Yonhap

The DPK has urged the UFP to halt the boycott and return to the Assembly as soon as possible, saying the committee chief selection needed to be finished within this week to pass bills on some urgent issues, including the third extra budget and inter-Korean relations.


If the UFP gives up all the committee head positions, the ruling party will face increased criticism for taking advantage of its superior position to operate the Assembly as it pleases.

"There is no reason to hesitate in normalizing the Assembly as we have a pile of issues to address," DPK floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon said at a party meeting, Monday. "We urge the UFP to cooperate to operate the Assembly normally for reviews of the extra budget bill and emergency responses to the inter-Korean situation."




Kim Rahn rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr


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