Acting President Han Duck-soo on Tuesday faced mounting pressure from the liberal bloc to approve the six contentious bills introduced by the opposition, as he presided over his first regular Cabinet meeting after assuming the role as acting president.
Prime Minister Han immediately assumed the role of acting president following President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment by the National Assembly on Saturday, in accordance with the Constitution.
The six bills, which were passed in the opposition-controlled Assembly on Nov. 28, include amendments to the Grain Management Act, which requires the government to purchase surplus rice if prices deviate greatly from the usual market price.
It is a watered-down version of the previous revision to the Grain Management Act, which was vetoed by Yoon in April last year, a month after the opposition-led Assembly passed the bill. Last year’s version stipulated stricter demand from the government with more detailed conditions, calling for the purchase of excess rice when surplus production exceeds 3-5 percent of demand or when the price of rice falls by 5-8 percent compared to the previous year.
The bills were widely expected to be reviewed by the Cabinet on Tuesday. However, an official at Han's office, requesting anonymity, told reporters the previous day that the bills "will not be presented" during Tuesday's meeting.
As presidential veto powers have delegated to him, Han now has to make a decision by the legal deadline of Dec. 21 as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea warned the acting president to refrain from exercising his veto powers over the opposition-led bills.
Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Chan-dae reminded Han, early Tuesday, that "an acting president is not the president, (which is why Han) should give up on his thoughts to exercise his veto power." Park explained that such an "active exercise of power" by the acting president could "invoke only endless quarrel and conflicts."
Park's remarks are in line with main opposition leader and Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Lee Jae-myung's sentiment. Lee said in a Sunday press conference that the party will not pursue Han's impeachment "for the time being."
"While many within the party called for Han's impeachment," holding him accountable for the turmoil tied to Yoon's martial law decree, they decided against it, to prevent "confusion in the state affairs," he explained.
Though Lee did not mention the six contentious bills, he indirectly pressured Han to approve two separate special counsel investigation proposals into the insurrection charges against Yoon and several allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee, including her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scandal that unfolded nearly a decade ago. "(I told Han in a phone call) that refusing any one of the two bills could represent political bias," Lee told reporters.
On the other side of the political sphere, the ruling People Power Party called for Han to veto the six contentious bills.
"We hope acting President Han Duck-soo will actively exercise his veto power over the unjust legislation that could affect the fiscal activities of the government," Newly appointed Deputy People Power Party Floor Leader Park Hyeung-soo said during a morning intra-party meeting. "The four amendments related to the agriculture industry could potentially disrupt and destroy our market economy and the self-reliance of our grain industry."
Bang Ki-sun, minister of government policy coordination under the Prime Minister's Office, told reporters around noon that the Cabinet plans to convene an extraordinary meeting "as early as Thursday," over the bills.
"The criteria we use when assessing the bills is whether it corresponds with the Constitution and the law and how it will affect the future of our people," Bang said.
During Tuesday's meeting, Han also ordered fiscal authorities to prepare for the 2025 budget to be implemented on Jan. 1 next year, in a bid to achieve swift economic recovery amid growing domestic and external risks. Yoon's impeachment has led to market volatilities here, with political uncertainties posing a key risk.
"I urge fiscal authorities to finish the allocation of next year's budget, so that it can be implemented on the first day of next year," Han said in the meeting held at Government Complex Seoul.
"For our economy to gain momentum of early recovery, I urge the authorities to mobilize all available resources including government funds, and both public and private investments to focus on implementing (the budget) for the first half of 2025," he added.
Han ordered officials to swiftly implement budgets that cater to improving the livelihoods of the people and protecting the socially vulnerable. To support both small and large businesses, authorities should communicate closely with the Assembly for the passage of bills that could help boost key sectors, such as the semiconductor industry.
