Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SEOUL2389
2008-12-12 08:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
REGULAR SESSION PASSES 7.5 PERCENT OF BILLS; MORE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002389
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KN KS
SUBJECT: REGULAR SESSION PASSES 7.5 PERCENT OF BILLS; MORE
OF THE SAME EXPECTED IN SPECIAL SESSION
REF: SEOUL 2340
Classified By: POL Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002389
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KN KS
SUBJECT: REGULAR SESSION PASSES 7.5 PERCENT OF BILLS; MORE
OF THE SAME EXPECTED IN SPECIAL SESSION
REF: SEOUL 2340
Classified By: POL Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Summary: The 18th National Assembly's first regular
session came to a close on December 9 without passing the
2009 budget bill or much legislation at all. To address the
budget and other outstanding bills, a 30-day temporary
session opened on December 10 but it is not likely many laws
will pass during the session due to the sharp divisions
between the ruling and opposition parties. Along with an
82-day delay in starting the session due to fighting over the
make-up of committees, a three week national audit dominated
the first session under GNP-majority control in 10 years.
The major parties agreed to pass the budget in the plenary by
December 12, but currently, the minor Democratic Labor Party
(DLP) is blocking the committee room, preventing a committee
vote that is needed before a full plenary vote. The GNP will
likely prioritize economic bills in the special session but
Assembly sources tell us not to expect many laws to pass.
End Summary
--------------
Regular Session Unproductive
--------------
2. (C) During the 18th National Assembly's regular session
that lasted 100 days and wrapped up December 9, 167 of 2,239
pending bills were passed (7.5 percent),far less than the
17.6 percent passed during the first session of the 17th
National Assembly. Despite the ruling party's commanding
majority in the National Assembly (172 out of 299),the GNP
fought with the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on
virtually every bill. Observers note the opposition was
emboldened to block ruling party legislation because of the
persistently abysmal popularity (Reftel) of President Lee
Myung-bak.
3. (C) Some of the "highlights" of the session were the
revelations that improper rice subsidies were given to
thousands of public officials, the grilling of Finance
Minister Kang Man-soo over his contact with the
Constitutional Court before its ruling on the comprehensive
real estate tax which, if passed, would decrease real estate
taxes, and fighting over the budget, which continues as we
speak.
4. (C) The main sticking point on the budget was the related
tax reduction laws the GNP packaged with the budget. The DP
and minor opposition Liberty Forward Party (LFP) agreed, in
principle, to pass the budget on December 12 but the
Democratic Labor Party, with only five members, is currently
blocking the committee from acting on the budget bill. They
claim the budget and tax cut bills favor only the wealthy.
Speaker Kim Hyung-o has announced he will work to pass the
budget in the plenary by December 12, so it is possible this
will happen, but Assembly sources note it is likely the
battle over the budget will continue until the end of the
year. The DP and GNP spent all night December 11 arguing
over the budget -- the DP now demanding the removal of 800
billion won worth of SOC from the budget.
--------------
Special Session: More of the Same?
--------------
5. (C) In the 30-day special session, the GNP will
prioritize "MBNomics"-related economic bills such as those
aimed to remove restrictions on large companies' investments
in their affiliates, ease restrictions on non-financial
firms' investment in banks and reform public sector
corporations. Other controversial bills that will be
discussed but likely will not pass are laws that would
criminalize cyberspace libel and allow more domestic
surveillance authority for the NIS, ease restrictions on
broadcasting for newspaper and other companies, and the KORUS
FTA.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) The National Assembly is a barely functioning unit,
passing few laws and with prospects for progress dim. Many
Koreans are growing more and more disillusioned with the
government response to the current economic crisis, and the
unproductive legislature will certainly do nothing to help
the government regain the people's trust.
STEPHENS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KN KS
SUBJECT: REGULAR SESSION PASSES 7.5 PERCENT OF BILLS; MORE
OF THE SAME EXPECTED IN SPECIAL SESSION
REF: SEOUL 2340
Classified By: POL Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) Summary: The 18th National Assembly's first regular
session came to a close on December 9 without passing the
2009 budget bill or much legislation at all. To address the
budget and other outstanding bills, a 30-day temporary
session opened on December 10 but it is not likely many laws
will pass during the session due to the sharp divisions
between the ruling and opposition parties. Along with an
82-day delay in starting the session due to fighting over the
make-up of committees, a three week national audit dominated
the first session under GNP-majority control in 10 years.
The major parties agreed to pass the budget in the plenary by
December 12, but currently, the minor Democratic Labor Party
(DLP) is blocking the committee room, preventing a committee
vote that is needed before a full plenary vote. The GNP will
likely prioritize economic bills in the special session but
Assembly sources tell us not to expect many laws to pass.
End Summary
--------------
Regular Session Unproductive
--------------
2. (C) During the 18th National Assembly's regular session
that lasted 100 days and wrapped up December 9, 167 of 2,239
pending bills were passed (7.5 percent),far less than the
17.6 percent passed during the first session of the 17th
National Assembly. Despite the ruling party's commanding
majority in the National Assembly (172 out of 299),the GNP
fought with the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on
virtually every bill. Observers note the opposition was
emboldened to block ruling party legislation because of the
persistently abysmal popularity (Reftel) of President Lee
Myung-bak.
3. (C) Some of the "highlights" of the session were the
revelations that improper rice subsidies were given to
thousands of public officials, the grilling of Finance
Minister Kang Man-soo over his contact with the
Constitutional Court before its ruling on the comprehensive
real estate tax which, if passed, would decrease real estate
taxes, and fighting over the budget, which continues as we
speak.
4. (C) The main sticking point on the budget was the related
tax reduction laws the GNP packaged with the budget. The DP
and minor opposition Liberty Forward Party (LFP) agreed, in
principle, to pass the budget on December 12 but the
Democratic Labor Party, with only five members, is currently
blocking the committee from acting on the budget bill. They
claim the budget and tax cut bills favor only the wealthy.
Speaker Kim Hyung-o has announced he will work to pass the
budget in the plenary by December 12, so it is possible this
will happen, but Assembly sources note it is likely the
battle over the budget will continue until the end of the
year. The DP and GNP spent all night December 11 arguing
over the budget -- the DP now demanding the removal of 800
billion won worth of SOC from the budget.
--------------
Special Session: More of the Same?
--------------
5. (C) In the 30-day special session, the GNP will
prioritize "MBNomics"-related economic bills such as those
aimed to remove restrictions on large companies' investments
in their affiliates, ease restrictions on non-financial
firms' investment in banks and reform public sector
corporations. Other controversial bills that will be
discussed but likely will not pass are laws that would
criminalize cyberspace libel and allow more domestic
surveillance authority for the NIS, ease restrictions on
broadcasting for newspaper and other companies, and the KORUS
FTA.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) The National Assembly is a barely functioning unit,
passing few laws and with prospects for progress dim. Many
Koreans are growing more and more disillusioned with the
government response to the current economic crisis, and the
unproductive legislature will certainly do nothing to help
the government regain the people's trust.
STEPHENS