South Korea's National Assembly to Begin Interpellation Sessions Amid Partisan Conflict

The National Assembly is scheduled to begin four days of interpellation sessions on Wednesday. The ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) are expected to clash over President Lee Jae Myung's recent Cabinet reshuffle and other contentious political issues. During the first session, the PPP is expected to criticize Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and Gender Equality Minister nominee Yong Hye-in. Kim faces accusations of illegal lobbying for a COVID 19 treatment in 2021 and criticism for his involvement with lawmakers calling for the dismissal of President Lee's criminal indictments. Yong is under scrutiny for her decision to retain her National Assembly seat after her appointment to the Cabinet. In contrast, the ruling DP intends to highlight the administration's progress on prosecution reforms, which include stripping the prosecution of its power to conduct direct investigations. The prosecution office is set to close in October, with two new agencies taking over investigations and indictments. Constitutional revision is also a primary point of contention. The DP advocates for a four year, two term presidential system, while the PPP claims this is an attempt to allow President Lee to seek another term. The schedule for the sessions includes political affairs on Wednesday, foreign affairs, unification and security on Thursday, economic affairs on Friday, and social issues next Monday.