An amendment to the Grain Management Act has been passed by the National Assembly led by the opposition party. The amendment demands that the government purchase excess rice. The Democratic Party has been accused by the majority party of a parliamentary assault, and will propose a veto to the president. The Grain Management Act passed today is a bill that requires the government to purchase excess rice. The bill was introduced to ensure stable income for farmers, and was championed by Lee Jae-myung, the representative of the Democratic Party of Korea. However, the people’s power has been opposed, saying that it will bring an oversupply of rice to the market and put a burden on the government’s finances. President Yoon Seok-yeol is likely to exercise his veto if the right to request reconsideration is granted, which might escalate the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties. This is Lee Dong-gyeong of MBC News.
◀ Anchor ▶
An amendment to the Grain Management Act, which requires the government to purchase excess rice, passed the National Assembly today led by the opposition party.
The power of the people said that the Democratic Party had committed a parliamentary assault by the majority party and would propose a veto to the president.
Reporter Lee Dong-kyung covered this news.
◀ Report ▶
[김진표/국회의장]
″With 169 votes in favor, 90 votes once morest, and 7 abstentions, we declare that the amendment to the alternative to the partial amendment bill to the Grain Management Act has been passed.″
The Grain Management Act passed today is a bill that requires the government to purchase excess rice.
If rice is produced 3 to 5 percent more than demand, or if the price of rice falls by 5 to 8 percent from the previous year, the government buys all excess production.
Lee Jae-myung, the representative of the Democratic Party of Korea, has put forward the bill as the ‘People’s Livelihood No. 1’ bill, saying it is for stable income of farmers.
[신정훈 의원/더불어민주당]
″Shouldn’t we change this ridiculous reality in our rural areas, where a bad year is misfortune and a good year is a disaster?″
However, the people’s power has been opposed, saying that it will bring an oversupply of rice to the market and put a burden on the government’s finances.
[안병길 의원/국민의힘]
″Farmers are not just rice farmers. There are livestock farmers, fruit farmers, and fishermen. Are you going to make obligatory purchase laws for Korean beef and pork, mackerel and anchovies?″
Although no agreement was reached between the ruling and opposition parties, the Democratic Party single-handedly passed the standing committee in October last year.
In today’s plenary session of the National Assembly, the bill was processed with the number of seats in the front.
The power of the people strongly opposed it, saying it was a parliamentary assault.
[김기현/국민의힘 대표]
″I know a lot regarding what kind of negative impact this has on agriculture, so I am going to pass what I did not pass now or not, but this is legislative violence.″
The ruling party announced that it would propose to President Yoon Seok-yeol the exercise of the right to request reconsideration and, in effect, the right to veto.
In fact, President Yoon has expressed his opposition to the Grain Management Act several times and is likely to exercise his veto.
[윤석열 대통령(지난 1월)]
″I think that the grain management method of unlimited purchase is not desirable for our agriculture following all.″
If the president exercises the right to veto, the confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties is expected to intensify as it is expected that other controversial bills will follow similar steps in seven years since President Park Geun-hye in 2016.
This is Lee Dong-gyeong of MBC News.
Video coverage: Seo Doo-beom / Video editing: Woo Seong-ho
In conclusion, the Grain Management Act amendment has been passed by the National Assembly, sparking controversy and opposition from the ruling party. While the Democratic Party claims that it is for the stable income of farmers, the opposition argues that it will burden the government’s finances and oversupply the market. President Yoon Seok-yeol is expected to exercise his veto, which might lead to further confrontations between the parties. With the potential for further controversial bills to follow similar steps, it remains to be seen how this will impact agriculture in the long term. Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing issue.