The leadership of both parties met regarding the composition of standing committees and the schedule for the plenary session but ultimately failed to reach an agreement. The Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party plan to meet again on the 23rd to continue discussions.

Moon Jin-seok, the Deputy Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (left), and Yoo Sang-bum, the Deputy Floor Leader of the People Power Party, go to the operating committee's small meeting room for related discussions on the formation of the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 19th in Yeouido, Seoul./Courtesy of News1

Moon Jin-seok, chief floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Yoo Sang-bum, chief floor leader of the People Power Party, met on the afternoon of the 19th at the National Assembly to discuss the redistribution of the heads of standing committees, including the chair of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the chair of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, as well as the schedule for the plenary session.

It was reported that both parties reiterated their existing positions during the meeting. The People Power Party has been demanding the chair of the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the chair of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts in a check-and-balance dimension since President Lee Jae-myung took office. However, the Democratic Party of Korea rebutted that since they had agreed on the distribution of committee chairs last year, the original composition should be maintained until one year after the end of the first half of the 22nd National Assembly.

After the meeting, Yoo Sang-bum told reporters, "I find it very regrettable that the ruling party's position has not changed even a step until now," and added, "There has never been a precedent where the first party has assumed control of the operating committee, the Legislative and Judiciary Committee, and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts at the same time. This has been mentioned by prominent politicians of the Democratic Party in the past, and it is necessary to maintain proper checks and balances in the National Assembly."

On the other hand, Moon Jin-seok stated, "The opposition's claim to hand over two standing committees (the Legislative and Judiciary Committee and the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts) is that our position is that it is not easy to change the results negotiated by the first-term floor leadership," and added, "We will meet with the opposition frequently to consult to ensure the public's peace of mind."

The schedule for the plenary session remains undecided in conjunction with the composition of the National Assembly's standing committees. Chief Floor Leader Yoo emphasized, "While the ruling party's position is to exclude the reorganization of the original, the opposition argues that because the original composition was abnormal, we demand to normalize it this time."