The second half of the 22nd National Assembly has in effect completed its committee formation after 54 days, putting the legislature back on track. But sharp partisan divisions across individual standing committees mean fierce clashes are expected from the outset.
Speaker Cho Jeong-sik on Friday led Deputy Speaker Nam In-soon, Deputy Speaker Park Deok-heum, Han Byung-do, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik, and Rebuilding Korea Party acting leader and floor leader Kim Jun-hyeong, along with the newly elected standing committee chairs, to Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu to pay their respects to fallen patriots to mark the completion of the committee formation.
Speaking at a plenary session held Thursday afternoon, Cho said, "The delay in forming the committees has caused the public worry and frustration. On behalf of the National Assembly, I sincerely apologize to the people." He added that he hoped "the achievement of reaching a committee formation agreement will serve as a catalyst for moving toward a cooperative, people-first legislature."
At the plenary session, six standing committee chairs allocated to the People Power Party were elected, including Yoo Eui-dong as chair of the Land and Transportation Committee. The chair of the Gender Equality and Family Committee was not filled that day after the designated nominee, Rep. Lim Yi-ja, resigned her candidacy; the election is expected to take place at next week's plenary session.
Even as the Assembly moves toward normalization, observers warn that potential minefields lie scattered across the standing committees. Most immediately, the Legislation and Judiciary Committee is expected to see an intense standoff between the ruling and opposition parties over a Criminal Procedure Act amendment centered on abolishing prosecutors' supplementary investigative powers.
Han said at a Supreme Council meeting Friday that "the complete separation of investigation and indictment is a state task of the Lee Jae Myung government and an unwavering principle of the Democratic Party," adding that the party would "wrap up swift legislation to put the final period on the long march of prosecutorial reform."
The Political Affairs Committee is also likely to see a battle over single-stock leveraged ETFs and questions of government responsibility in the Homeplus crisis. The House Steering Committee faces a potential collision over a proposed National Assembly Act revision pushed by the Democratic Party that would shorten fast-track deadlines, tighten filibuster requirements and prevent delays in standing committee bill reviews.
The Land and Transportation Committee is set for heated debate over the controversy surrounding President Lee Jae Myung's apartment mortgage registration and broader real estate policy amid rising home prices, while the National Defense Committee will take up the push to establish a unified military academy for the Army, Navy and Air Force. Sharp partisan sparring is also anticipated over the scope and targets of a special prosecutor's investigation into the National Election Commission.
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