The People Power Party declared its opposition to the constitutional amendment bill on the 7th, deciding it as party policy and abstaining from the vote. [Yonhap News]

The People Power Party announced that it would push for a filibuster (legal obstruction of parliamentary proceedings through unlimited debate) on all agenda items at the National Assembly's plenary session on the 8th, having declared its policy to block a hasty constitutional amendment without national consensus.

According to a media announcement on the 7th, Floor Leader Song Eon-seok stated, "We plan to respond with unlimited debate on all agenda items scheduled for (tomorrow's) plenary session, which is being convened without consensus and attempts to hastily process a constitutional amendment, not a proper one."

Consequently, the People Power Party decided to block the passage of all bills except the constitutional amendment bill through filibustering, judging that the Democratic Party of Korea plans to process about 30 contentious bills at the plenary session on the 8th.

Floor Leader Song anticipated, "Speaker Woo Won-sik and the Democratic Party intend to force the non-consensual plenary session tomorrow and push for a re-vote on the constitutional amendment bill and the passage of all bills submitted to the plenary session."

An official from the People Power Party warned of all-out obstruction, saying, "If the vote on the constitutional amendment bill failed today, shouldn't the Speaker conclude his term rather than throwing a tantrum?" and added, "Filibustering all bills could take up to 30 to 40 days."

The constitutional amendment bill vote failed to meet the quorum on the National Assembly's plenary session on this day due to the People Power Party's abstention from voting.

It has been reported that Speaker Woo and the Democratic Party plan to hold a plenary session on the afternoon of the 8th to pursue a re-vote on the constitutional amendment bill.

Hanmiilbo Politics Desk