Democratic Party of Korea Introduces ‘Joo Ho-young Prevention Act’ to Strengthen National Assembly’s Democratic Functions

▲ Democratic Party of Korea Representative Min Hyung-bae (Gwangsan, Gwangju)

On September 19, Democratic Party of Korea member Min Hyung-bae (Gwangsan, Gwangju) introduced the ‘Joo Ho-young Prevention Act,’ a bill aimed at strengthening the democratic functions of the National Assembly.

In July, Vice Chairman Joo Ho-young sparked controversy by refusing to proceed with a plenary session, citing personal opposition to several key agenda items. These included the reconsideration of the ‘Special Prosecutor Chae Hae-byeong Act’, the National Assembly resolution to ‘withdraw the promotion of the Sado Mine World Heritage Site in Japan’, and the ‘Four Broadcasting Laws’ for the normalization of public broadcasting.

The National Assembly serves as the representative body of the people, realizing the democracy of the Republic of Korea. As such, the Speaker, Vice Speaker, and Standing Committee Chairpersons are responsible for upholding the will of the people through fair and transparent procedures.

However, the current National Assembly Act lacks a clear basis for addressing instances where responsibility is neglected, leading to significant disruptions in the National Assembly schedule. The ‘Joo Ho-young Prevention Act’ seeks to address this issue by establishing a legal basis for a vote of no confidence and dismissal of the Speaker, Vice Speaker, and Standing Committee Chairpersons of the National Assembly.

Rep. Min Hyung-bae emphasized the importance of strengthening democratic functions and increasing public trust in the operation of the National Assembly. This revision bill was jointly written by Rep. Yong-man Kim, Rep. Like the National Assembly (Fair Society Forum), and Rep. Saero (Political Reform Group Saero).