Ruling Party Floats Committee Chair Redistribution Amid Legislative Standoff

▲Han Byung-do, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, declared on the 2nd that "if the People Power Party refuses to proceed with the Special Committee on US Investment, the Democratic Party will make a critical decision to process legislation according to National Assembly procedures." He added that the party would "fundamentally review overall National Assembly operations, including the distribution of standing committee chairmanships, if they insist on a do-nothing legislature." The Democratic Party already holds 10 standing committee chairmanships, including the Legislation and Judiciary Committee chair that traditionally went to the opposition by parliamentary convention. Does this mean they now want to sweep up all committee chairs and intensify their unilateral legislative dominance in the National Assembly?

▲The People Power Party announced after its general meeting on the 2nd that it would "begin off-site protests starting the 3rd against the three judicial destruction bills." The party intends to urge Acting President Lee Jae-myung to exercise his veto authority over the three judicial reform bills that passed the National Assembly last month amid constitutional controversy. Reports indicate that voices at the general meeting also called for Party Leader Jang Dong-hyuk to sever ties with the so-called "Yoon Again faction." If the People Power Party leadership wants to check the dominant ruling party while vastly outnumbered, it must decisively cut ties with hardliners defending the December 3rd martial law declaration and first win back centrist voters.