South Korea: Acting President Han Calls for Parliamentary Review of Six Controversial Bills Passed by Opposition
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Seoul, Dec 19 (NationPress) The Acting President of South Korea, Han Duck-soo, has on Thursday urged the National Assembly to re-examine six controversial Bills that were passed by the main Opposition, the Democratic Party.
A motion requesting the reconsideration of four agricultural Bills along with two Parliament-related Acts, which were approved by the Opposition last month, gained approval during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting led by Han earlier today.
This motion is expected to receive Han's endorsement, marking his initial exercise of presidential authority since he took on interim leadership following the impeachment and suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol due to an unsuccessful martial law attempt.
Among the significant Bills is the Grain Management Act, which requires the government to purchase excess rice to stabilize prices amid market fluctuations. A similar proposal was vetoed by Yoon in March 2023 and later discarded in a re-vote.
Other proposals include the National Assembly Act, which aims to prevent the automatic submission of the government budget to the plenary session after the legal deadline, and the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act, which would compel companies to provide requested data to lawmakers, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The ruling People Power Party and the government have expressed their opposition to these Bills, raising concerns over the financial implications of the mandatory rice purchases and the risks associated with potential trade data leaks during parliamentary testimonies.
In contrast, the main Opposition Democratic Party has urged the interim leader to exercise caution and maintain the current status.
Han stepped into the role of acting president after Yoon was impeached on Saturday due to his brief declaration of martial law on December 3.
Additionally, the Acting President must make a crucial decision regarding whether to veto two Opposition-led Bills that call for special investigations into Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration and allegations against First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
