Plenary Results
Plenary passes 59 bills including amendment to the Public Official Election Act
- Jul 09, 2024
- 309
Plenary passes 59 bills including amendment to the Public Official Election Act
- Constituency seats adjusted from 253 to 254, proportional representation seats adjusted from 47 to 46, and five
special districts designated
- Mandatory residency requirement for housing below the sales price ceiling system eased to within 3 years of the date
allowed to move into housing
- Export-Import Bank of Korea’s statutory capital limit increased from KRW 15 trillion to KRW 25 trillion to support exports
- Driver’s license suspension, travel bans, and disclosure of names without a detention order allowed for non-payment of
child support
- Elderly and disabled provided added convenience when using unmanned information systems (kiosks)
- Narcotics addicts and persons with sex crime records prohibited from acquiring qualification as principals and childcare
center teachers
- Motion for the Consent to Appointment of two Supreme Court Justices (Shin Suk-hui and Um Sang-pil) approved, while
Motion for the Consent for Appointment of two Independent Prosecutors rejected
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (Speaker Kim Jin-pyo) passed 65 agenda items, including 59 bills, at the sixth plenary meeting of the 413th extraordinary session held on February 29, 2024.
The motions for consent to appointment of the Justice of Supreme Court (Shin Suk-hui and Um Sang-pil) were approved.
* Motion for the Consent to Appointment of Justice of the Supreme Court (Shin Suk-hui)
- Total votes 263: 246 in favor, 11 against, 6 abstentions
* Motion for the Consent to Appointment of Justice of the Supreme Court (Um Sang-pi)
- Total votes 263: 242 in favor, 11 against, 10 abstentions
The motions for reconsideration of appointment of Independent Prosecutors, etc. were rejected.
* Motion for reconsideration of Appointment of Independent Prosecutors to Investigate Allegations of
Stock Price Manipulation Involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee and Deutsche Motors
- Total votes 281: 171 in favor, 109 against, 1 abstention
* Motion for reconsideration of Appointment of Independent Prosecutors to Investigate Allegations of
Hwacheon Daeyu “KRW 5 billion Club” Bribery
- Total votes 281: 177 in favor, 104 against
Following are the major bills tabled for consideration:
<1> Amendment to the Public Official Election Act
The amended Act increases the number of National Assembly constituency members from 253 to 254 and decreases the number of proportional representation members from 47 to 46.
In special cases for the 22nd general election, some districts are designated as follows:
▲ Chuncheon City in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province is divided to form the constituency including Chuncheon City, Cheorwon County, Hwacheon County, and Yanggu County; ▲ Suncheon City in Jeollanam-do is divided to form the constituency including Suncheon City, Gwangyang City, Gokseong County, and Gurye County; ▲ Part of Seongdong District in Seoul is divided to form a constituency including Jung District and Seongdong District; ▲ Part of Yangju City in Gyeonggi-do is divided to form a constituency including Dongducheon City, Yangju City, and Yeoncheon County; and ▲ Part of Gunsan City in Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province is divided to form a constituency including Gunsan City, Gimje City, and Buan County.
<2> Amendment to the Housing Act
The amended Act eases the start of the mandatory residency period for housing subject to the sales price ceiling system from the “date he/she is allowed to move into the housing” to “within 3 years of the date one is allowed to move into the housing.”
Those who received a pre-use inspection prior to enactment of this law are allowed to not reside in the housing for up to 3 years for the sake of equal opportunity. The residency period will be counted even if it is not continuous.
Violators who transfer housing without fulfilling the residency obligation will be subject to “up to 3 years of imprisonment or a fine of up to KRW 30 million.”
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport at the end of last month, a total of 49,766 units in 77 housing complexes in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Incheon are subject to the mandatory residency requirement under the sales price ceiling system.
<3> Amendment to the Export-Import Bank of Korea Act
The amended Act increases the statutory capital limit of the Export-Import Bank of Korea from the current KRW 15 trillion to KRW 25 trillion.
The statutory capital of the Export-Import Bank of Korea has not changed since it was expanded from KRW 4 trillion to KRW 8 trillion in April 2009, and from KRW 8 trillion to KRW 15 trillion in 2014. As of February 2024, the paid-in capital balance is KRW 14.8 trillion, with a statutory capital exhaustion rate of 98.5%.
The increase aims to respond promptly to the growing demand for foreign policy finance, export support and promotion of national economic development amid increases in overseas orders in the defense, nuclear power, and other industries, and growing funding needs for core technology development and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in strategic and new growth industries such as semiconductors, batteries, and biotech.
<4> Amendment to the Act on Enforcing and Supporting Child Support Act
The amended Act shortens the procedure used for imposing sanctions for non-payment of child support, ensuring faster enforcement of child support obligations.
In cases defined by Presidential Decree in which a child support debtor does not fulfill their obligations despite receiving an order of compliance under the Family Litigation Act, measures such as driver’s license suspension, travel bans, and disclosure of names may be undertaken after deliberation and resolution by the Deliberative Committee on Payment of Child Support.
The amendment enables these measures without the need for a detention order, ensuring faster enforcement of child support obligations.
The Child Support Agency, currently a part of the Korean Institute for Healthy Family, will be established as an independent corporation to promote more efficient operation.
<5> Amendment to the Framework Act on Intelligent Informatization
The amended Act ensures convenience for persons who find it difficult to use unmanned information systems (kiosks) for issuing documents, ordering and paying for products, etc.
The amendment seeks to address inconveniences faced by the disabled and elderly as information and communication technology (ICT) advances and non-face-to-face services become more common.
To enhance information access and convenience for the disabled and elderly, those who install and operate an unmanned information system are required to provide assistance through personnel or a real-time voice guidance service.
The Minister of Science and ICT may issue corrective orders if the installer and operator does not provide these conveniences. Those failing to comply with the corrective orders shall be subject to an administrative fine of up to KRW 30 million.
<6> Amendment to the Child Care Act
The amendment prohibits persons addicted to narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, or cannabis, and those with records of sexual crimes and/or crimes against children and adolescents, from obtaining qualification as a principal or childcare center teacher.
Similar to teachers in kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools, no person who has committed sexual crimes against adults, children, or adolescents shall acquire qualifications as principals or childcare center teachers.
The amended Act shall enter into effect six months after the promulgation date and apply to persons who apply for qualification as a principal or childcare center teacher after the law goes into effect.
