▲ Han Byung-do, acting leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaks during a meeting of the party's Supreme Council at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 29, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ Lawmakers of the main opposition People Power Party stage a rally at the National Assembly in Seoul in protest of the ruling party's push to unilaterally select parliamentary committee chiefs on June 29, 2026. (Yonhap)

rival parties-committee chiefs

Ruling party vows to complete parliamentary committee formation by Tues. despite PPP opposition

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- The ruling Democratic Party (DP) vowed Monday to complete the selection of parliamentary committee chiefs by the next day amid a prolonged standoff with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) over sharing the committee chairs.

The rival parties remain at loggerheads over how to distribute the parliamentary committee chairmanships for the second half of the 22nd National Assembly despite several rounds of negotiations.

"We will complete the formation of the parliamentary committees within this month and ensure that the Assembly gets back to work," DP floor leader Han Byung-do said during a general meeting of its lawmakers.

"We will not drag on (the committee formation) past tomorrow," he added, asking all party lawmakers to "stay on standby" starting in the afternoon.

The main point of contention is who will chair the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee, a key Assembly panel that has the power to approve bills before they are put to a plenary vote.

Currently, the legislation and judiciary committee is chaired by Rep. Seo Young-kyo of the DP.

The PPP has refused to submit its nominees for the chairs of 18 standing parliamentary committees by Monday noon as requested by the parliamentary speaker, in protest of the DP's insistence on chairing the judiciary committee.

"Assembly speaker Cho Jeong-sik and the DP came up with a list of nominees for the committee chairs on their own without making any proposals or offering any terms for negotiation, and simply informed us about it afterwards," PPP floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig said during a general meeting of party lawmakers.

"They are threatening us rather than negotiating with us," he added.

PPP lawmakers also staged an indoor rally at the National Assembly, vowing not to give up the chairmanship of the judiciary committee.

The DP has the majority needed to unilaterally elect standing committee chiefs as it currently holds 161 out of 300 seats in the Assembly.

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