Rep. Jeong Tae-ho (right) of the Democratic Party of Korea and Rep. Park Soo-young of the People Power Party, floor leaders of the special committee, discuss during a plenary session of the National Assembly’s special committee on U.S. investment legislation on Feb. 24. /Yonhap

A special committee of the National Assembly tasked with handling legislation on U.S.-bound investment adjourned on Feb. 24 after failing to complete its scheduled agenda due to clashes between rival parties.

The committee, formed to deliberate the proposed “Special Act on Strategic Investment Management between Korea and the United States,” held only a public hearing during its second plenary session before ending the meeting.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea and the opposition People Power Party had initially planned to form a subcommittee, introduce bills and hold substitute debates. However, tensions escalated after the Democratic Party signaled its intention to push ahead with contentious bills, including judicial reform measures and a third amendment to the Commercial Act, during a plenary session.

Rep. Kim Sang-hoon of the People Power Party, who chairs the special committee, said his party also recognized the need for meaningful legislative results but expressed concern over proceeding separately from broader parliamentary dynamics.

“This is a committee that requires bipartisan cooperation,” Kim said, adding that it was difficult to operate the committee normally while disagreements over plenary session procedures persisted.

Rep. Jeong Tae-ho of the Democratic Party, serving as the ruling party’s floor leader on the committee, criticized the opposition for not honoring prior agreements between floor leaders.

“It is irresponsible not even to form a subcommittee or formally introduce the bill,” Jeong said, urging that political disputes be separated from the committee’s work.

Rep. Park Soo-young of the People Power Party countered that the fundamental spirit of the committee lies in bipartisan cooperation, arguing that the way plenary session procedures were handled had undermined that principle.

With no agreement reached, the committee concluded its session without advancing the legislation.

ⓒ "젊은 파워, 모바일 넘버원 아시아투데이"