Ruling and opposition parties fail to agree on TK integration bill

The ruling and opposition parties ultimately failed to reach an agreement on the special administrative integration bills for Daegu–Gyeongbuk (TK) and Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province. As a result, only the integration of the Gwangju–South Jeolla region will move forward before the June local elections. At the plenary session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the 12th, lawmakers are expected to take up bipartisan bills such as the Special Act on the Management of Korea–U.S. Strategic Investment (Korea–U.S. Investment Special Act) instead of the Administrative Integration Act.
Cheon Jun-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoo Sang-bum of the People Power Party (PPP), both senior deputy floor leaders for parliamentary operations, met at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea on the 10th to coordinate the agenda for the plenary session on the 12th. They failed to reach a final agreement on the integration bills for Daegu–Gyeongbuk (TK) and Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province, but decided to process around 60 bills, including the Korea–U.S. Investment Special Act.
Yoo stated, "Today as well, we strongly requested the passage of the TK integration bill, but since the Democratic Party has not shifted from its existing position, it appears unlikely that this bill will be passed." Cheon added, "At the plenary session on the 12th, we agreed to give priority to the Korea–U.S. Investment Special Act and to pass some 60 bipartisan livelihood-related bills." If the Administrative Integration Act does not make it onto the floor on the 12th, it is effectively set to be scrapped. The government has said that for the integration of TK and Daejeon and South Chungcheong Province to be completed before the local elections, the bill must pass by the 12th, because substantial time is needed for administrative measures, including 20 trillion won in fiscal support, and for election preparations.
The Korea–U.S. Investment Special Act cleared a special committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea the previous day as a bipartisan agreement and has been referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. As both parties are working together to reduce the risk of renewed or additional tariffs by the administration of Donald Trump in the United States of America (U.S.), there appear to be no major obstacles to its passage at the plenary session on the 12th. The ruling and opposition parties will also take the lead on follow-up measures once the Korea–U.S. Investment Special Act is passed. The Korea-U.S. Parliamentary Association plans to visit the U.S. on the 23rd to explain how the special act will be implemented and to discuss Korea–U.S. investment projects. Lawmakers also intend to reassure the U.S. side by pledging legislation to address concerns about unfair treatment of digital companies, including the Online Platform Act and the Online Platform Fairness Act, which have been raised as potential problems.
uknow@fnnews.com Kim Yun-ho, Song Ji-won Reporter