DP lawmakers try to get power over presidential decrees

Politics

Published: 15 Jun. 2022, 15:56 Updated: 15 Jun. 2022, 18:40

DP lawmakers try to get power over presidential decrees

Kweon Seong-dong, center, floor leader of the People Power Party, criticizes a bill proposed by the Democratic Party that would empower lawmakers to make revisions to government enforcement ordinances in a party meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul Tuesday. [NEWS1]

Lawmakers from the liberal Democratic Party (DP) proposed a bill Tuesday that would strengthen parliamentary control over presidential decrees, provoking fury from the People Power Party (PPP).

A group of 14 DP lawmakers led by Rep. Cho Eung-cheon proposed an amendment to the National Assembly Act that would empower parliamentary standing committees to ask for revisions to so-called enforcement ordinances if they are thought to conflict with the law. This would give lawmakers the right to amend presidential and prime ministerial decrees.

Currently, standing committees make review reports when a decree or ordinance is considered to be incompatible with the law and report it to a plenary session. If the report is approved, related government agencies are required to look into an amendment and then report back to parliament.

The new bill would radically streamline that process.

"It is often pointed out that the government regulates through administrative legislation on matters that should be stipulated in the law," said the DP's Cho, "distorting the purpose of the law, deviating from the scope of delegation, or restricting people's freedoms and rights."

Critics say the bill would give the DP too much say in government affairs. The DP holds a supermajority in the National Assembly of 170 out of 300 parliamentary seats.

Lawmakers from the conservative PPP said the bill violates the principle of separation of powers.

"The DP should look into whether it is qualified to speak of cooperation and checks and balances," said Kweon Seong-dong, PPP's floor leader, in a party meeting Tuesday. "The essence of the amendment to the National Assembly Act is to shake up the administration by maximizing the power of the majority party in the National Assembly after it lost the presidential and local elections."

On Monday, President Yoon Suk-yeol said it was "highly unconstitutional" for lawmakers to have the right to request amendments to enforcement ordinances.

Yoon could ultimately exercise his veto power if the DP succeeds in passing the bill.

In 2015, former President Park Geun-hye vetoed a similar bill to empower lawmakers to revise government enforcement ordinances, saying it encroached on the executive branch.

In early May, the DP railroaded controversial bills that will strip the prosecution of its investigative powers through the National Assembly despite a boycott by PPP lawmakers.

The new bill could be an attempt to stop the Yoon administration from expanding the prosecution's investigative powers through enforcement ordinances.

Rep. Cho told reporters at the National Assembly Tuesday, "With the beginning of a new government, there is talk that 'What can't be done by law will be done by enforcement ordinances.' This is an infringement of the legislative power of the National Assembly and the separation of powers."

The DP has also protested the Yoon administration's move to establish a personnel vetting unit under the Justice Ministry, saying it is "unlawful" to have prosecutors conduct screening of personnel. This comes as Yoon appointed fellow prosecutor and close ally Han Dong-hoon as justice minister.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]