Seats of ruling People Power Party lawmakers are empty at the parliamentary national policy committee at the National Assembly in Seoul, April 23. Yonhap

Opposition lawmakers on Tuesday unilaterally passed motions requiring two contentious bills to go directly to a plenary parliamentary meeting as the ruling party boycotted the votes in protest.

One of the bills aims to give franchisees collective bargaining rights against their franchisors. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has opposed the bill citing concerns of its potential impact on labor-management relations in the franchise industry.

The other bill seeks to expand the scope of people recognized as meritorious democracy activists. The PPP has been against it, arguing it gives too many advantages to people that it claims have enjoyed enough benefits.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and other minor parties voted to send the bills directly to a plenary meeting without passing through the parliamentary judiciary committee. The motions were approved unanimously after PPP members left the meeting in protest.

A standing committee could send legislation pending at the judiciary committee for over 60 days directly to a plenary session if three-fifths of committee members agree to it. The DPK plans to use its majority in parliament to process the bills within the next month before the incoming parliament opens in June. (Yonhap)