National Assembly Passes Bill Allowing Speaker's Authority to Preside Over Filibuster to Be Delegated (Comprehensive)
Delegation of Speaker's Authority to Standing Committee Chairpersons Allowed
Passed with 188 in Favor out of 239 Present
Woo Wonshik Emphasizes "Unavoidable Temporary Measure"
On January 29, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed an amendment to the National Assembly Act, which allows the Speaker's authority to preside over the session to be delegated to a standing committee chairperson during an unlimited debate (filibuster) period.
On this day, the National Assembly processed the amendment to the National Assembly Act by first introducing the alternative bill that passed the National Assembly Steering Committee, then presenting a revised version. Out of 239 members present, 188 voted in favor and 39 opposed.
The original alternative bill that passed the Steering Committee allowed the Speaker to designate a specific member as the presiding officer, permitted the suspension of a filibuster if quorum was not met during the filibuster period, and stipulated that anonymous votes at the plenary session be conducted electronically. However, after negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties, the amendment to the National Assembly Act limited the delegation of the Speaker's authority to preside to standing committee chairpersons. In addition, provisions regarding the suspension of filibusters due to lack of quorum and electronic voting were excluded from the amendment, maintaining the current system.
Immediately after the amendment passed the plenary session, National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik stated, "As one of the members of the National Assembly leadership has refused to preside over the session for an extended period, resulting in an abnormal form of unlimited debate, I inevitably agreed to the amendment," adding, "I believe all members share the view that the law passed today is an unavoidable and temporary measure to guarantee unlimited debate, rather than an ideal solution." He pointed out that Deputy Speaker Joo Ho-young of the People Power Party refused to preside over the filibuster session, leaving Speaker Woo and Deputy Speaker Lee Hakyoung of the Democratic Party to preside over the filibuster together.
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Speaker Woo expressed, "I hope that the passage of this law will serve as an opportunity to correct, rather than repeat, the abnormal practice of unlimited debate," and urged, "I ask lawmakers from both parties to work so that the National Assembly can restore a normal and responsible culture of debate in the eyes of the public."
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