Kim Mi-ae: 'Strong objection to unilateral proceedings'
Choi Su-jin: 'Which PPP lawmaker could agree to this?'
People Power Party lawmakers on the National Assembly's Operations Committee walked out Tuesday ahead of a vote on a resolution to establish a special committee on mega-region strategic industry zones aimed at driving locally led growth.
The Operations Committee passed the resolution to form the special panel, which would support the government's three major mega-projects. The special committee is tasked with reviewing a proposed bill on mega-region strategic industry zones that would set rules governing the designation and operation of such zones and grant regulatory exemptions.
PPP lawmakers left the chamber just before the vote, objecting to what they called unilateral proceedings by the Democratic Party of Korea. When Operations Committee Chairman Han Byung-do put the resolution to the floor, PPP lawmaker Kim Mi-ae pushed back, saying she expressed "strong objection to the Democratic Party's unilateral conduct of proceedings."
Kim said the Democratic Party had offered "no explanation and no consultation with the opposition party" despite seeking to form a National Assembly special committee. "There has been absolutely no discussion about what bills will be reviewed or how the committee will be structured and operated," Kim said.
"They decided among themselves, made a unilateral announcement and then demanded the opposition's cooperation — that is not cooperation, it is an order," Kim added. "Is the opposition party just a prop for the Democratic Party?"
Democratic Party lawmaker Park Gyun-taek pushed back, saying, "Isn't timing everything in the semiconductor industry?" He argued that spreading the review across multiple standing committees would cause delays and cost South Korea a critical window, which "would never serve the national interest."
PPP lawmaker Yun Yong-geun said the National Assembly should not simply rubber-stamp the government and ruling party's timetable. "This special committee must review regulatory exemptions spanning industry, labor, the environment, land and taxation, as well as massive fiscal support," he said.
"Being notified of such a significant resolution the day before the meeting — on Monday evening, no less — and then being told it will be pushed through immediately on Tuesday is no different from the National Assembly agreeing to serve as a prop for Cheong Wa Dae," he added.
PPP lawmaker Choi Su-jin said the party was "clearly not opposed to fostering advanced industries or pursuing regulatory reform," but that "what we are taking issue with is the way the Democratic Party tried to unilaterally put together this special committee."
"Look at this special committee — of 18 members, the Democratic Party takes 10, the PPP gets 6, two are from minor negotiating groups, and the Democratic Party monopolizes the chairmanship and every majority vote mechanism," Choi said. "Which PPP lawmaker could possibly agree to this?"
Kim Seung-su, who leads the PPP's side on the Operations Committee, said he wanted to express "strong procedural objection to the hasty tabling of this special committee formation resolution."
"Pushing through a formation resolution like this with no prior procedural steps can only be understood as an intention to pass it according to a script written by the government and ruling party," Kim doubled down. "I am making clear my opposition to passing this resolution in such a rushed manner." The resolution passed after the PPP lawmakers had left the chamber.
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