Assembly passes foreign service reform bill, closes regular session

The National Assembly passed at its plenary session on Friday a revision of the Foreign Service Officials Law, abolishing the present promotion system based on a seniority system and introducing a merit system of promotions and assignments.

The government called the measure a revolutionary change and said it is expected to reenergize officialdom and result in a spillover effect on other government agencies.

The revised law provises that the Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry will use open competitions to find the most competent officials when looking to fill positions at the level of section chief and above.

The Assembly also approved an amendment to the electric power industry restructuring law that calls for the division of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and its gradual privatization. The Assembly also passed 24 other bills, seven motions, and four resolutions.

With its latest action, the Assembly finished dealing with all legislative programs and will close the first session of the current 16th Assembly sitting on Saturday. The ruling and opposition parties agreed to convene a special parliamentary session on Monday to deal with the 2001 budget bill and some social welfare bills, including a special law for alleviating farm debts.

The parties also neared an accord that the special probe committee on the Hanvit Bank loan scandal would pass a parliamentary investigation plan at next week's special Assembly plenary session and conduct four weeks of committee probes into the loan scam, including one week of parliamentary hearings on the case.