Seoul, Dec 19 South Korea's Acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday demanded that the National Assembly reconsider six contentious Bills passed by the main Opposition Democratic Party.
A motion demanding reconsideration of the four agricultural Bills and two Parliament-related Acts passed by the Opposition last month was approved during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting presided over by Han earlier in the day.
Han is expected to endorse the motion that would mark his first use of presidential powers since assuming interim leadership after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and suspended from office over a failed martial law bid.
One of the key Bills is the Grain Management Act, which mandates the government purchase of surplus rice to stabilise prices during market fluctuations. A similar Bill was vetoed by Yoon in March 2023 and subsequently scrapped in a re-vote.
Other Bills include the National Assembly Act, aimed at preventing the automatic submission of the government budget to the plenary session after the legal deadline, and the National Assembly Testimony Appraisal Act, which would require companies to submit requested data to lawmakers, Yonhap news agency reported.
The government and the ruling People Power Party have opposed the Bills, citing concerns about the financial burden of the mandatory rice purchase and potential risks of trade data leaks during parliamentary testimonies.
In contrast, the main Opposition Democratic Party urged the interim leader to exercise restraint and maintain the status quo.
Han assumed the role of acting president after Yoon was impeached Saturday over his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3.
A similar Bill was vetoed by President Yoon Suk Yeol in March 2023 and was scrapped in a revote.
The National Assembly Act seeks to prevent the automatic submission of the following year's government budget to the plenary session after the legal deadline, while the testimony appraisal Act would make it mandatory for companies to submit data requested by lawmakers.
The ruling People Power Party has opposed the Bills, expressing concerns about the financial burden of the mandatory rice purchase and potential risks of trade data leaks during parliamentary testimonies.
The Acting President also faces a critical decision on whether to veto two Opposition-led Bills mandating special probes into Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration on December 3 and allegations against First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
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