National Assembly kicks off 100-day regular session on Monday
Arirang News
2018-09-04
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South Korea's National Assembly on Monday began its second regular session since the Moon Jae-in administration came to power last year.
Working together hasn't been the rival parties' strong suit, but they have 100 days to try and change that.
Whether that's possible... remains to be seen.
Kim Min-ji reports.
The National Assembly will be in full swing over the next 100 days... after the regular session kicked off Monday.
It will be a chance for the legislature to clear the slate... and shake off its reputation for bickering and being unproductive.
"Let's conduct ourselves with dignity. Let's not engage in hostile confrontation, but find solutions. Let's show that we work long nights... and that we respect each other as colleagues. We're in the driver's seat now. I ask each and every lawmaker to work together over the next 100 days... and do everything possible to revive the economy and pass reform bills."
Starting Tuesday,... the chairs of the country's three negotiating parties will give speeches on their respective agendas and viewpoints.
The following week, the rival parties will hold a four-day Q&A session with government ministers... on a range of topics, including foreign affairs and the economy.
Also during the 100-day session,... the National Assembly will conduct an audit of government ministries and their affiliated agencies.... as well as deliberate on the government's record budget proposal for 2019.
Confirmation hearings will also be held for President Moon Jae-in's new Cabinet nominees.
With so much on the to-do list,... cooperation among all parties will be key for the session to bear fruit.
But over the past few weeks,... they've been at loggerheads over the government's income-led growth policies -- which the opposition claim are actually burdening low-income households and slowing job growth -- they've called for an all-out revision of the policies.
The opposition bloc has also vowed to closely scrutinize the government's 420 billion U.S. dollar budget plan,... to ensure there is no unnecessary spending.
That could be an obstacle for the ruling party as it seeks to pass bills in support of the government's income growth strategy... and its reform drive.
Those include bills on deregulation and ones related to improving people's livelihoods.
And as the ruling party is short of an absolute majority -- they need opposition support to move ahead on anything.
"Although all parties agree on the need for the National Assembly to get work done,... with so many contested issues at stake,... the question is whether they'll be able to put aside their own political interests,... and to what extent they're willing to make concessions to reach a compromise.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News."
Working together hasn't been the rival parties' strong suit, but they have 100 days to try and change that.
Whether that's possible... remains to be seen.
Kim Min-ji reports.
The National Assembly will be in full swing over the next 100 days... after the regular session kicked off Monday.
It will be a chance for the legislature to clear the slate... and shake off its reputation for bickering and being unproductive.
"Let's conduct ourselves with dignity. Let's not engage in hostile confrontation, but find solutions. Let's show that we work long nights... and that we respect each other as colleagues. We're in the driver's seat now. I ask each and every lawmaker to work together over the next 100 days... and do everything possible to revive the economy and pass reform bills."
Starting Tuesday,... the chairs of the country's three negotiating parties will give speeches on their respective agendas and viewpoints.
The following week, the rival parties will hold a four-day Q&A session with government ministers... on a range of topics, including foreign affairs and the economy.
Also during the 100-day session,... the National Assembly will conduct an audit of government ministries and their affiliated agencies.... as well as deliberate on the government's record budget proposal for 2019.
Confirmation hearings will also be held for President Moon Jae-in's new Cabinet nominees.
With so much on the to-do list,... cooperation among all parties will be key for the session to bear fruit.
But over the past few weeks,... they've been at loggerheads over the government's income-led growth policies -- which the opposition claim are actually burdening low-income households and slowing job growth -- they've called for an all-out revision of the policies.
The opposition bloc has also vowed to closely scrutinize the government's 420 billion U.S. dollar budget plan,... to ensure there is no unnecessary spending.
That could be an obstacle for the ruling party as it seeks to pass bills in support of the government's income growth strategy... and its reform drive.
Those include bills on deregulation and ones related to improving people's livelihoods.
And as the ruling party is short of an absolute majority -- they need opposition support to move ahead on anything.
"Although all parties agree on the need for the National Assembly to get work done,... with so many contested issues at stake,... the question is whether they'll be able to put aside their own political interests,... and to what extent they're willing to make concessions to reach a compromise.
Kim Min-ji, Arirang News."
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