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The deadline proposed by National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o for formation of standing committees is noon today. There is very little chance of a breakthrough happening before that deadline. Kim said if a breakthrough fails to materialize, he could use his official power to present a bill to revise the National Assembly Law, to change the names of the standing committees. The ruling Grand National Party is saying it could unilaterally pass the revision of the National Assembly Law and could even form standing committees without the participation of the main opposition Democratic Party. The 18th National Assembly may end up being recorded in history as having its first business handled unilaterally by the ruling party.
It has been 81 days since the launch of the 18th National Assembly. The National Assembly Law stipulates that lawmakers must appoint heads and members of each standing committee within 10 days of the launch of each parliamentary term. The first thing the 18th National Assembly did since its launch was to break the law. It is probably rare for any parliament in the world to break the law and waste 81 days forming standing committees due to their inability to overcome their political differences.
No wonder that the National Assembly speaker is saying he cannot wait any longer, while the ruling party says it’s going to do things strictly by the book. But if the National Assembly starts its four-year term this way, the repercussions will be huge. There have been many setbacks and clashes in the history of our constitutional government. But there were hardly any instances of a National Assembly beginning with a unilateral passage of a bill faced by physical resistance. As the ruling party, the GNP must show more patience and self-restraint.
The DP is resisting the formation of standing committees, demanding the passage of a bill on the Livestock Law. It is trying to insert a clause banning beef imports for five years from countries where there is an outbreak of mad cow disease. No such regulation exists within the world organization for animal health (OIE). As a responsible main opposition party, the DP must realize that a regulation that does not fit international standards would lead to trade disputes. We are not the only country in the world. The DP must differentiate between domestic politics and international standards and practices. We call on both the ruling and opposition parties to muster their individual sensibilities and self-restraint and agree to form standing committees.
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