▲ Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo from the main opposition Democratic Party (L) shakes hands with Rep. Yu Eui-dong, the chief policy maker of the ruling People Power Party, at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Oct. 23, 2023. (Yonhap)
▲ Officials from the main opposition Democratic Party post placards demanding the government withdraw the appointment of Defense Minister Shin Won-sik at a parliamentary audit of the National Defense Committee, in this file photo taken Oct. 10, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

rival parties-gentlemen's agreement

Rival parties agree to stop picketing, heckling of opponents in parliament

SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's rival parties agreed Tuesday to improve parliamentary culture and vowed to refrain from engaging in the picketing and heckling of opponents.

The gentlemen's agreement was reached in a meeting between the floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Monday, amid criticism the National Assembly is spending more time on political disputes instead of their legislative duties.

It also comes as the rival parties prepare for the general elections next April.

"We sympathized on the need to improve the atmosphere in meeting rooms," the PPP's floor leader, Yun Jae-ok said. "(We) agreed not to carry or display placards both inside the Plenary Chamber and at standing committee meetings. We also agreed not to shout at one another or engage in heckling."

Along with such efforts, the two sides agreed not to interrupt speakers when they deliver a parliamentary address at the National Assembly, said DP's floor leader, Hong Ihk-pyo.

Hong will deliver the promises to DP members in a party meeting soon and ask for their consent, he added.

"There has been a lot of controversy regarding various insults and offensive language exchanged in the parliamentary chamber," he said. "We will also make efforts to ensure that such incidents do not occur any more, and hope it can become a catalyst in establishing a new culture at the National Assembly."

The united move comes amid a series of cases of lawmakers showing unruly behavior at the assembly, interrupting parliamentary addresses and boycotting audits for hours.

In a recent example, the parliamentary audit for the National Defense Committee was postponed for eight hours after PPP lawmakers refused to open the meeting in response to pickets hung by DP lawmakers demanding the government withdraw its appointment of the new defense minister.

Seventy-five percent of people aged 18 and over gave a negative assessment of the 21st session of the National Assembly, according to a joint survey conducted by four local pollsters and published on Oct. 12.

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