Ruling party encourages speedy legislation of bills related to livelihood

With ruling Democratic Party (DP) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung demanding his party to “speed up the legislation” of bills related to the livelihood of people, saying it is the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee who is holding the gavel, there are growing voices within the DP that the party should accelerate the legislation drive. In response, the opposition party slammed the ruling party, saying the DP reminds them of the North Korean regime.

Rep. Kang Hoon-sik, who has been named the chairman of the DP’s strategic planning committee, told MBC Radio on Friday that he would like to ask back if railroading bills related to the livelihood of people would be considered a wrongdoing. Kang added that it is the opposition party, which is at fault, since they are not willing to sit at the negotiating table, saying they will not discuss the bills and will not watch the ruling party getting the credit.

Rep. Song Youg-gil, chairman of the DP, stressed at a party meeting on Friday that presidential candidate Lee and DP floor leader Yun Ho-jung reviewed legislative tasks of the standing committee, adding the party will work to check the pending issues, including compensation for the loss of small business owners, restitution of development gains, deferment of taxation of virtual currency and the collection of Chun Doo-hwan’s assets in restitution to the state.

Amid Lee’s drive for speedy legislation beginning in full swing, there are concerns within the standing committee that consultation with the main opposition party will not be easy. The subcommittee of the parliamentary Strategy & Finance Committee on Thursday tried to review the Amendment to the Act on the Management of Public Institutions but failed as opposition lawmakers were absent. It has also been decided that the one-year postponement of planned virtual asset taxation promoted by the DP will be reviewed again later.

People Power Party senior spokesperson Heo Eun-ah said in a commentary on Friday that speeding up is a strategy used by the North Korean regime whenever there is a crisis. It is clear that the speedy legislation drive promoted by Lee will not only result in legislative dictatorship but also cause a great harm to the country, she added.


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