Four-day interpellation...
Updated : 2025-09-19 21:41:20 KST
[WEEKLY FOCUS] Four-day interpellation concludes; bipartisan standoff far from over
The National Assembly this week wrapped up its first interpellation session under the Lee Jae Myung administration. The four days of questions sparked heated exchanges between the rival parties over a wide range of state affairs. For more on this, we have our political correspondent Shin Ha-young. Welcome Ha-young. Thanks for having me. So Ha-young, this week, attention was on the questions and answers session as it was the first since President Lee Jae Myung took office. You're right, Eun-ji.
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interpellation session 대정부 질문
interpellation [ìntərpəléiʃən,intə́:r-] (의회에서 장관에 대한) 질문, 설명 요구
session (의회 등의) 회기[회의], (법정의) 개정 (기간)
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But for those unfamiliar, an interpellation session is a formal process in which members of the National Assembly question top government officials --from the Prime Minister to cabinet ministers --about their policies and performance. This four-day session began on Monday and ran through Thursday, covering a wide range of issues including diplomacy, security, the economy, education, and society. The questions came amid heightened tensions between the rival parties after a bipartisan agreement on bills for the three special counsel investigations into the Yoon Suk Yeol government fell apart.
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bipartisan [ˌbaɪˈpɑːrtɪzn] 두 정당[당파]의[으로 이루어진]; 양당의
special counsel 특별검사
fall apart. 결딴나다; 다 허물어질[부서질] 정도이다
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Ha-young, what key issues were raised during the session? The issue of South Korean workers detained in Georgia came under fire, with the main opposition People Power Party arguing that the large-scale arrests targeting only Korean factories by U.S. immigration authorities --at a time when tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington are underway --reflect the Lee administration's lack of competence. The ruling Democratic Party, on the other hand, countered that the incident stemmed from excessive crackdowns by the U.S. authorities.
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come under fire 비난을 받다, 빈축을 사다
counter 반박[논박]하다; (무엇의 악영향에) 대응하다
stem from …에 기인하다, …에 유래하다; originate in, emanate from.
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"The use of chains and ankle shackles during the arrests — this is being condemned as clear mistreatment and an inhumane practice. The U.S., too, must change what needs to be changed, and improve what needs to be improved." In response to these concerns, the Foreign Minister said that the events could serve as a "blessing in disguise." "The U.S. has now taken the initiative to actively address long-standing visa issues, and since we have also been pressing strongly on this matter, I think it will serve as an opportunity to resolve visa problems more effectively going forward."
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blessing in disguise (문제인 줄 알았던 것이 가져다 준) 뜻밖의 좋은 결과[이득]
take the initiative[lead] 주도권을 쥐다[잡다], 솔선해서 하다. 앞장을 서다
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A heated debate ensued as lawmakers continued to clash over judicial and prosecutorial reforms, which clouded the interpellation from the outset. On the last day of the session, the PPP criticized the DP for calling on Chief Justice Jo Hee-de to step down over alleged political bias and for proposing to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, calling it an attempt by the administration to control the judiciary. "All of these actions that undermine the fairness of trials and encroach on judicial authority are unconstitutional measures that shake the very foundation of the liberal democratic order."
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ensue [ɪn|suː] (어떤 일·결과가) 뒤따르다 (=follow)
prosecutorial 검사의; 검찰 직무에 관한.
cloud 쟁점을 흐리다, 흐려지다[흐리게 만들다]
from the outset 처음부터
bias [ˈbaɪəs]편견, 편향
encroach [ɪnˈkroʊtʃ] (남의 시간·권리·생활 등을) 침해하다; 잠식하다
judicial authority 사법기관
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Prime Minister Kim Min-seok dismissed the claims, stressing that the debate should not be reduced to political timing or appointments. How were economic issues addressed during the session? Well, economic issues took center stage on the third day of the four-day Q&A with government officials. The PPP targeted the ruling party's unilateral passage of contentious bills such as the pro-labor "Yellow Envelope" Act, arguing that they hinder business activity. "The Yellow Envelope Act reflects the views of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and I believe it restricts businesses and could drive them out of the country.
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hinder 저해[방해]하다, …을 못하게 하다 (→hindrance), (=hamper)
Confederation 연합[연맹]
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That's why I think the ruling DP, which holds a National Assembly majority, needs to introduce follow-up legislation." "The government understands that issues can arise from misunderstandings, exaggerations, or uncertainty. That's why it will set up a task force and create manuals to address them." Amid ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, the ruling DP rebutted the opposition's concerns over the scale of South Korea's pledged investment in the U.S., saying it was not unrealistic, with the prime minister adding that it will benefit Korea's economy in the long run.
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manuals 안내책자, 설명서
rebut [rɪˈbʌt] 논박[반박]하다 (=refute)
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"The pledged 350 billion dollars is large. But given that South Korea's financial assets in the U.S. reached 962-point-6 billion dollars at the end of last year and the current account surplus with the U.S. totaled 118-point-2 billion in 2024, I don't think it's unrealistic. What's the prime minister's view?" "While it may be a burden for us now, in the long run, it can be a win-win for both Korea and the U.S. and even benefit our economy's long-term growth. So I think it's hard to judge it by the number alone.
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the current account surplus 경상수지 흑자
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Now that the interpellation session has ended and we've had a full review, what's next for the Assembly? What lies ahead in the political standoff between the rival parties? Well, with the regular session still underway, more contentious issues are expected in the weeks ahead. The National Assembly's audit of government ministries and agencies is scheduled to begin on October 13th, with lawmakers reviewing performance across policy, spending, administration, and public impact.
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standoff 교착 상태 (=deadlock)
audit [ˈɔːdɪt]회계 감사, (품질·수준에 대한) 검사
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Lawmakers will also need to tackle the 2026 budget and other key reform bills, but sharp partisan divisions remain even before these issues arise. In fact, the launch of a joint consultative body on livelihood-related matters, composed of both parties, has been set back due to the ruling party's push for the government reorganization plan. Although the rival parties initially agreed to establish the body and hold its first meeting on Friday, the PPP announced that the launch has now been postponed.
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tackle 일 등에> 부딪치다, <문제 등을> 다루다, ~ 와 논쟁하다
partisan [ˈpɑːrtəzn]편파[당파]적인 (=one-sided)
set back 저지[방해]하다, 지연시키다
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With this setback and other key developments, attention will remain on the upcoming events as the regular session unfolds. Alright, thank you, Ha-young, for your wrap-up. Keep us posted on future developments. Thank you.
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영어 원문 출처 및 동영상 링크;
arirang news/Nat'l/Politics
https://m.arirang.com/news/view?id=287367
