An amendment to the National Assembly Act that shortens the review period for fast-track designated bills from the existing 330 days to 90 days was passed today (the 29th) in the National Assembly Steering Committee, led by the Democratic Party of Korea.

The amendment includes provisions to shorten the review period for fast-tracked agenda items to 60 days for standing committees and 30 days for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee's review of legal consistency and phrasing.

It also stipulates that once a fast-track bill passes the plenary session of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it must be submitted to the first plenary session held thereafter.

Under the current National Assembly Act, when a bill is designated for fast-tracking, it takes a maximum of 330 days, including 180 days for the standing committee, 90 days for the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, and 60 days for submission to the plenary session.

The People Power Party protested against the unilateral processing of the bill, refusing to participate in the vote and walking out.

Representative Kim Seung-soo of the People Power Party, the opposition secretary of the Steering Committee, strongly criticized the move, stating, "How are practices that rush through controversial and disputed bills without sufficient deliberation related to people's livelihood? We strongly condemn this anti-cooperative parliamentary tyranny pushed through by the power of the majority."

Representative Cheon Ha-ram of the Reform Party cast a dissenting vote, saying, "The public is not subject to experimentation. We must not risk the damage that citizens may suffer just to talk about speedy legislation."

(Photo: Yonhap News)