The Democratic Party of Korea announced it will continue its push for livelihood and reform legislation during the March extraordinary session of the National Assembly. The party has set a policy to hold plenary sessions every Thursday and activate standing committees to ensure "a steady flow of agenda items."
Han Byung-do, the Democratic Party's floor leader, said at a floor leadership meeting on Monday, "The Democratic Party's marathon for livelihood and reform legislation will continue in March." He added, "Over the weekend, the National Assembly broke through the People Power Party's sham filibuster during a plenary session that lasted five nights and six days, passing eight reform bills."
Bills passed under Democratic Party leadership include the third amendment to the Commercial Act mandating companies to retire treasury shares, three judicial reform bills covering judicial distortion crimes, constitutional appeals against court rulings, and expansion of Supreme Court justices, as well as the Gwangju-South Jeolla administrative integration special act, the Local Autonomy Act amendment, the National Referendum Act amendment, and the Child Allowance Act amendment.
Han stated that passing the Special Act on U.S. Investment will be the top priority for the March session. "With the schedule for operating the special committee for the Special Act on U.S. Investment now confirmed, we will proceed with bill introduction and subcommittee formation, doing our best to ensure the bill is processed on time," he said. "While maintaining an emergency footing for livelihood and reform legislation in March, we will focus more on processing government tasks and livelihood bills."
Regarding the Iran situation, the Democratic Party announced it will strengthen coordination among the party, government, and presidential office to respond to external risks including changes in Middle East circumstances. "The global compound crisis is expected to affect all sectors including oil prices, the real economy, finance, and security," Han explained. "Together with the government, we will closely monitor the situation and prepare for all possibilities."
Criticism of the People Power Party continued. "It was the People Power Party that held back the National Assembly with a baseless filibuster and flip-flopped on the Daegu-North Gyeongsang and South Chungcheong-Daejeon integration bills, blocking their introduction to the plenary session," Han argued. "Administrative integration is a century-long national plan, and we must walk the path of integration together." He added, "If this golden opportunity is missed, the responsibility lies with the People Power Party."
Regarding the People Power Party's off-floor protests in opposition to the forced passage of the three judicial reform bills, Han remarked, "Off-floor protests that speak of destroying the judiciary are nothing but cowardly tail-wagging toward 'Yoon Again.'" He pointed out, "An opposition party that abandons the national interest, paralyzes the National Assembly, and runs into the arms of the far-right no longer deserves to be called a legitimate political party."
On President Lee Jae-myung's state visits to Singapore and the Philippines, Han said, "We expect cooperation with Southeast Asia to be strengthened in future industry sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced industries, and nuclear power." He added, "We support the president's national interest-centered pragmatic diplomacy in leading peace and prosperity in ASEAN."