Since the 21st presidential election, the ruling and opposition parties have changed, leading to a clash between the two major parties over the position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. The People Power Party said, "We are willing to give up our rights to the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Defense Committee, and Intelligence Committee, requesting that the position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee be conceded to maintain checks and balances in the legislature." The Democratic Party of Korea asserts, "This is neither the time nor the subject for negotiation."

Kim Seok-ki, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee belonging to the People Power Party (center), Seong Il-jong, the chairman of the Defense Committee (right), and Shin Seong-beom, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, are holding a press conference on the 18th at the National Assembly's communication hall in Yeouido, Seoul, claiming that the People Power Party should take on the position of the chairman of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee. /Courtesy of Yonhap News

Kim Seok-ki, Chairperson of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Sung Il-jong, Chairperson of the Defense Committee, and Shin Sung-bum, Chairperson of the Intelligence Committee, held a press conference at the National Assembly's communication center in the afternoon, stating, "To uphold the basic principle of democracy, which is mutual checks, the opposition party, the People Power Party, must hold the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. We propose that the Democratic Party of Korea relinquish this position and begin negotiations on the reorganization of the committee."

They noted, "If the People Power Party obtains the position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and cooperates in establishing the fundamental democratic principle of 'checks and balances,' we are willing to transfer the positions of Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, the Defense Committee, and the Intelligence Committee, which are important to the ruling party, to the Democratic Party of Korea."

They emphasized, "The People Power Party's demand for the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is a minimal requirement to protect Korea's separation of powers and democracy."

In contrast, the Democratic Party of Korea holds the position that the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is not subject to negotiation.

Park Sang-hyuk, the Democratic Party of Korea's senior deputy floor leader, spoke with reporters after the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly, stating, "This matter has already been negotiated and resolved during the first leadership term last year, so it is neither the time nor the subject for negotiation." He added, "It is important to eradicate internal rebel forces," urging the People Power Party to expedite discussions on the assembly’s composition. The Democratic Party of Korea is set to propose holding the National Assembly's plenary session as early as the 19th to elect the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, as well as the vacant positions of Chairperson of the Planning and Finance Committee, the Operating Committee, and the Budget and Accounts Committee.

The position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is currently vacant as Jeong Cheong-rae stepped down to run for party leader. The term for this chairperson position is two years, but the newly elected chairperson will serve for only the remaining one year.

The reason both ruling and opposition parties are determined to secure the position of Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee among various committees is that the committee has the authority to present bills processed in other committees to the plenary session, serving as the last "gateway" before reaching the assembly.

In the past, both ruling and opposition parties distributed committee chair positions through negotiations. Since the 17th National Assembly in 2004, it has been customary for the ruling party to hold the position of National Assembly Speaker and the opposition party to hold the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. This was intended to achieve checks and balances within the legislature. However, during the first half of the 21st National Assembly and the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, the Democratic Party of Korea, as the majority party, held both the Assembly Speaker and the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee.