Ruling, opposition brace for interpellation clash

Feb 09, 2026, 08:06 am

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Ruling and opposition parties are set to clash during upcoming interpellation sessions targeting the government at the National Assembly. / Yonhap

Ruling and opposition parties are bracing for a head-on collision during upcoming government interpellation sessions, with the ruling camp set to highlight policy achievements and the opposition preparing to press the administration on tariffs and real estate policy.

The National Assembly of South Korea will hold three days of interpellations starting Feb. 9, covering overall government affairs. The schedule includes questions on politics, diplomacy, unification, and security on Feb. 9; economic issues on Feb. 10; and education, society, and culture on Feb. 11.

The Democratic Party of Korea plans to emphasize the achievements of the Lee Jae-myung administration, which is marking eight months in office, while also outlining its policy direction for the year and assessing preparedness across ministries.

Baek Seung-ah, the party’s floor spokesperson, cited key themes such as livelihoods, reform, administrative integration, the KOSPI, K-culture, and becoming a global AI powerhouse—part of a strategy to project an image of a “capable governing party.” The ruling party is also expected to stress that the current administration has stabilized political turmoil that followed the declaration of martial law under the previous government, and to reiterate calls for a “complete reckoning with insurrection” before the June 3 local elections.

The People Power Party, meanwhile, is expected to launch an all-out offensive. Lawmakers plan to question the effectiveness of the Lee government’s “pragmatic diplomacy,” particularly as the Trump administration in the United States presses Seoul over potential tariff increases.

On the economic front, the opposition intends to argue that the government’s expansionary fiscal stance is exacerbating market instability, citing high exchange rates and inflation that they say are weighing on household finances. The party is also set to scrutinize President Lee’s recent high-intensity messages on the real estate market, including criticism of the number of multiple-home owners among senior presidential aides and cabinet members.

“On real estate policy and tariffs alone, there is a lot to ask,” Choi Soo-jin, the People Power Party’s chief floor spokesperson, said.

Additional flashpoints may include renewed opposition demands that the ruling party accept a special prosecutor probe into alleged links to the Unification Church and illicit nomination donations. The opposition is also expected to denounce a second comprehensive special prosecutor investigation being advanced by the Democratic Party as a case of “political repression.”

Following the interpellation sessions, the National Assembly will move directly into a plenary session on Feb. 12, where bills agreed upon by both parties are expected to pass. More than 80 measures—including legislation to strengthen essential medical services and amendments to the Information and Communications Network Act—are slated for processing.

The Democratic Party has also signaled its intent to push through additional bills during the February extraordinary session, including laws to establish a public prosecution office and a major crimes investigation agency, a set of judicial reform bills, a special act on U.S.-bound investment, and a third revision of the Commercial Act.

One proposed judicial reform measure—the so-called crime of judicial distortion—has raised constitutional concerns even within the ruling party. While some moderates urge caution, hardliners are pressing to put the bill to a vote. The People Power Party has labeled the measure a “malicious law,” raising the likelihood that it could resort to a filibuster.

Anticipating such a move, the Democratic Party is reportedly considering holding consecutive plenary sessions, setting the stage for heightened political tension in the days ahead.

#interpellation #National Assembly #Lee Jae-myung government #Democratic Party of Korea #People Power Party