Semiconductor special act remains unresolved over partisan deadlock

Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae said on Sept. 10 during a visit to Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek campus, “We will do our best to ensure the ‘Semiconductor Special Act,’ which includes infrastructure development, facility expansion, and R&D support, passes the National Assembly as soon as possible.” He added, “With the U.S., Europe, and Japan all rolling out semiconductor support policies, we can no longer afford delays,” and emphasized that the party would fully support President Lee Jae-myung’s pledge to make South Korea the world’s leading semiconductor nation.

Despite these statements, the Democratic Party is effectively waiting until Oct. 14 to take action on the Semiconductor Special Act. That date marks 180 days after the bill was fast-tracked on April 17, when it will automatically move to the National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee. The bill falls under the jurisdiction of the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, and Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, which is chaired by the People Power Party.

Earlier, the Democratic Party failed to reach an agreement in the committee during the presidential campaign and subsequently had the bill designated as a fast-track measure in the plenary session. At the time, the People Power Party insisted that the bill include an exemption to the 52-hour workweek, while the Democratic Party sought to pass it without that provision, leaving the two sides deadlocked.

The Semiconductor Special Act was President Lee’s first policy pledge, announced on April 28, the day after he was nominated as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate. At the time, Lee said, “Expanding semiconductor competitiveness requires national-level support and investment,” and pledged that the law would enable companies to focus on semiconductor development and production.

As a result, the president’s first major pledge has effectively gone unaddressed more than 100 days after the government took office. A senior ruling party official said, “We intended to discuss it once the Livelihood Economy Council was formed.” However, the council’s formation stalled after the People Power Party opposed the Democratic Party’s forced passage of the government organization law. Party officials now expect the Semiconductor Special Act to be processed by November. Considering the bill was first proposed on July 3 of last year, the process would take roughly a year and four months.

If the ruling party does not make persistent efforts to reach consensus or engage in public persuasion on bills with partisan disagreements, delays in implementing certain government policies are inevitable. For bills under the seven standing committees chaired by the People Power Party, fast-tracking remains the only option if the opposition continues to block them for more than 180 days, as was the case with the Semiconductor Special Act.

Eleven bills related to the establishment of the Financial Supervisory Commission are expected to be fast-tracked at the plenary session on the 25th, marking the first such case under the Lee administration. These bills fall under the National Assembly Planning and Finance Committee and the Political Affairs Committee, both chaired by the People Power Party. Similar 180-day delays could occur for economic and livelihood-related bills in the industrial, tax, and financial sectors. To avoid such delays, the Democratic Party would need to secure all committee chairmanships in the lower house when the 22nd National Assembly reorganizes in June next year.

The situation also reflects the Democratic Party’s underestimation of the need for cooperation with the opposition. The ruling party must move beyond reliance on fast-track measures and engage in dialogue with the opposition, making concessions where necessary while securing key gains. Demonstrating the ability to build public support and swiftly pass legislation would show that the party is taking responsibility for the president’s pledges.