BILL RELATED TO N.KOREA PASSES PLENARY SESSION

[Anchor Lead]

This time, news from the National Assembly. Following the passage of bills on launching a new investigation body and reforming the intelligence agency, a bill on inter-Korean relations has also passed the plenary session after an opposition filibuster was suspended. The ruling Democratic Party criticized the filibuster as the parliament's dereliction of duty amid the rapid spread of COVID-19, while the main opposition People Power Party accused the supermajority party of silencing the opposition.

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An opposition-led filibuster or a relay of floor speeches, came to a halt after it was staged one day ago to block the passage of a revision to the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act, also known as the law banning anti-North Korea leaflet campaigns. The ruling DP submitted a motion to halt the filibuster, and 187 lawmakers voted for the motion and one abstained, essentially ending the delay tactic.

[Soundbite] KIM TAE-NYEON(FLOOR LEADER, DEMOCRATIC PARTY) : "Continuing the filibuster in the current COVID-19 crisis is a dereliction of parliament duty and disregard of the public's pain."

Main opposition PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young took to the stage as the final speaker in the filibuster and criticized the ruling party's unilateral legislative push.

[Soundbite] JOO HO-YOUNG(FLOOR LEADER, PEOPLE POWER PARTY) : "Our country is in a crisis. I believe the Korean people did not give the ruling party 180 parliament seats to be used in this manner."

The revision to the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act passed the plenary session with all 187 attending lawmakers voting for the bill. Under the revision, people who distribute leaflets and other articles near the Military Demarcation Line will be subject to a maximum 3 year prison sentence or a fine of up to 30 million won. For the sake of COVID-19 response and the passage of other important bills, the minor opposition Justice Party took part in both votes, one to end the filibuster and the other one to pass the anti-leaflet bill. The marathon floor debate has now ended, paving the way for a full-fledged extraordinary Assembly. The ruling DP seeks to pass other key bills, including ones concerning workplace disasters and delivery workers, before the extra session ends. Meanwhile PPP spokesperson Bae Hyun-jin blasted the ruling party for deserting basic values, stating that contact with the DP leadership was lost during the process leading up to floor leader Joo Ho-young's final filibuster speech.