Acting President suspends 6 bills from Cabinet meeting, citing need for further deliberation

[Anchor]

Acting President Han Duck-soo's decision on whether to exercise the right to request reconsideration for six bills that have garnered attention, but those bills will not be presented at tomorrow's (12.17) Cabinet meeting.

The government explained that it has postponed the presentation due to the need for sufficient deliberation and discussion.

However, it stated that a decision will be made within this week.

Reporter Lee Hyun-jun has the details.

[Report]

The bills that passed the National Assembly under the leadership of the opposition and were sent to the government include a total of six bills, including the Grain Management Act.

The key point of the Grain Management Act is that the government purchases surplus rice and compensates the difference when rice prices fall below the average level.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has already exercised the right to request reconsideration once, and Acting President Han Duck-soo has also pointed out the issues with the Grain Management Act.

[Han Duck-soo/Acting President and Prime Minister/ March 29, last year: "Purchasing rice unconditionally, even when there is an excess surplus, undermines the market's ability to adjest supply and demand. This will exacerbate the oversupply and further lower prices."]

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has also expressed its opposition, and the floor leader of the People Power Party, Kwon Seong-dong, has requested the government to exercise the right to request reconsideration.

As a result, there were speculations that the right to request reconsideration might be exercised at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, but the government has decided to postpone the presentation of the bills.

A Prime Minister's Office official stated, "Sufficient deliberation and discussion are necessary," and added, "We will hold an extraordinary Cabinet meeting this week to make a final decision on whether to request reconsideration."

Prime Minister's Office also stated they would consider opinions from both the ruling and opposition parties until the end. But given the ruling party's push for reconsideration while the opposition's claim of Han's lacking authority to request it, their statement reflects a willingness to gather all viewpoint.

The issue at hand is the insurrection special prosecutor law and the Kim Keon-hee special prosecutor law, which will soon be sent to the government.

If the right to request reconsideration is exercised for the special prosecutor law, voices have emerged within the Democratic Party to push for the impeachment of Acting President Han.

It is analyzed that it will not be easy for Acting President Han to request reconsideration of the special prosecutor law while being a suspect in an insurrection case.

This is KBS News, Lee Hyun-jun.