Extraordinary Cabinet Meeting Scheduled by South Korean Government to Review Controversial Bills
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Seoul, Dec 17 (NationPress) The government of South Korea will convene an extraordinary Cabinet meeting later this week to deliberate on whether to advise acting President Han Duck-soo to veto several controversial bills, according to a statement made by the Policy Coordination Minister on Tuesday.
Minister Bang Ki-seon informed reporters that this meeting is anticipated to occur as soon as Thursday, focusing on reviewing the six bills that were passed by the main opposition Democratic Party last month.
Among these, there are four agricultural bills, the National Assembly Act, and the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act.
"The review will concentrate on whether these bills align with the Constitution and existing laws, as well as their potential impact on the nation's future," Bang stated.
If Han does not request the National Assembly to reevaluate the bills by Saturday, they will automatically become law.
One significant bill under consideration is the Grain Management Act, which mandates the government to purchase surplus rice in order to stabilize prices amid market fluctuations.
A similar piece of legislation was vetoed by President Yoon Suk Yeol in March 2023 and subsequently discarded in a revote.
The National Assembly Act aims to prevent the automatic submission of the subsequent year's government budget to the plenary session after the legal deadline, while the Testimony Appraisal Act would require companies to provide data requested by lawmakers.
The ruling People Power Party has expressed opposition to these bills, citing worries about the financial implications of the mandatory rice purchase and the possible risks of trade data leaks during legislative testimonies, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The acting president also confronts a crucial choice regarding whether to veto two opposition-led bills that call for special investigations into Yoon's brief martial law declaration on December 3 and allegations involving First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
The Ministry of Government Legislation has confirmed receipt of the bills, which were passed by the parliament last week. The deadline for Han to exercise his veto powers is set for January 1.
