South Korea’s National Assembly remains gridlocked as a political standoff between major parties shows no resolution. The main opposition People Power Party continues boycotting the assembly’s second half entirely. Meanwhile, Speaker Cho Jeong-sik has set Friday, Constitution Day, as another compromise deadline.
However, reaching agreement between the People Power Party and ruling Democratic Party seems increasingly unlikely. Both sides insist on chairing the powerful Legislation and Judiciary Committee, complicating negotiations significantly. Consequently, the Democratic Party’s majority elected Rep. Seo Young-kyo as committee chair last month regardless.
Seo now oversees review of a controversial bill stripping prosecutorial power over supplementary investigations. Additionally, this political standoff intensifies alongside another contentious bill affecting President Lee Jae Myung’s criminal indictment. Critics argue these measures represent efforts weakening prosecutorial authority while reframing past indictments politically.
Rep. Choi Soo-jin, People Power Party spokesperson, indicated compromise remains impossible given the ruling party’s firm stance. Therefore, attention now shifts toward whether opposition lawmakers will eventually accept remaining committee positions. Notably, Democratic Party lawmakers previously filled all 17 committee chairs unilaterally back in 2020.
People Power Party lawmakers plan meeting Monday to determine their boycott’s future direction. Despite unified opposition efforts, internal party conflict continues undermining broader political cohesion significantly. Recent approval ratings dropped to 24 percent, according to Gallup Korea’s latest survey results.
This decline follows a temporary rebound following June’s controversial ballot shortage scandal. Party chair Jang Dong-hyeok has resisted resignation calls following recent electoral defeats and controversies. Furthermore, internal debate continues regarding potential reinstatement of estranged former chair Han Dong-hoon.
Han currently serves as an independent lawmaker following June’s parliamentary by-election victory separately. Looking ahead, this ongoing political standoff will likely shape legislative priorities throughout the coming months. Jang’s leadership term technically extends until August 2027, barring unexpected internal party changes.
