The People Power Party (PPP) has decided to fully boycott all standing committee sessions in response to the Democratic Party's unilateral legislative push. The move casts doubt on passage of the Special Act on Investment in the United States, which both parties had agreed to pass by early March.
The PPP announced on February 24, "Our party is responding with filibuster to the plenary session the Democratic Party is forcing through. The floor leadership has decided to fully boycott all standing committee sessions scheduled for this week."
The Democratic Party plans to unilaterally pass eight legislative bills in the plenary session starting with the third Commercial Act revision, including other contentious legislation.
The PPP immediately launched a filibuster to block the Democratic Party's legislative moves. "The ruling and opposition parties had originally agreed to process livelihood bills starting February 26, but the Democratic Party suddenly overturned this and began its legislative rampage," the PPP said.
The PPP decided to escalate its response by fully boycotting standing committee sessions. The Special Committee for Processing the Special Act on Investment in the United States is expected to face prolonged disruption, as the committee failed to complete bill submissions and subcommittee formation due to the partisan standoff.
Democratic Party lawmaker Chung Tae-ho, the committee's opposition whip, urged PPP members at the committee's plenary meeting: "We set the committee's activity period at one month because both parties agreed this matter must be handled swiftly as a national priority."
PPP members on the committee held a press conference and responded: "If the Democratic Party does not stop its legislative rampage in the plenary session, we cannot cooperate either. If they do not change their one-way operation of the plenary session, it is obvious they will railroad even the U.S. investment bill."