Han Byung-do, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said on the 20th that the party has submitted two versions of a bill to create mega-regional special zones — one containing exemptions from working-hour rules and one without them — in order to build a social consensus through debate.
"We are well aware that there are a wide range of views across society on the main points of contention in the bill, including the working-hour exemptions," Han said. "By submitting two bills, one with the exemptions and one without, we will reach a social consensus through sufficient deliberation and discussion."
Speaking at a party meeting on parliamentary audit strategy at the National Assembly, Han said the mega-region zone bill "will spread growth opportunities now concentrated in the capital region to the whole country and support each region in leading the nation's future around strategic industries."
He added that the party would "listen broadly to voices from all sectors and prepare a final version through a combined review," and said it would "actively consider setting up a special parliamentary committee to handle tasks spanning multiple ministries and standing committees, from fiscal, financial and tax issues to workforce training and infrastructure."
Turning to commercial banks' delayed response to hacking incidents, Han said lenders "left vulnerabilities unaddressed even after finding them through simulated hacking, and took more than three days to report abnormal signs to the bank president."
"Before blaming increasingly sophisticated hacking methods, they should first look at basic security investment and reporting systems," he said.
He also said banks that failed to protect customer data "must not shift the burden of proving damage onto customers," calling for procedures that clearly disclose breaches and protective measures and hold banks responsible for compensation. The Democratic Party plans to speed up review of amendments to the Electronic Financial Transactions Act after the parliamentary audit to tighten oversight, disclosure and sanctions.
On Choi Gil-soo, the nominee for special inspector whose confirmation hearing report is scheduled for adoption on the 22nd, Han said the institutional vacuum of the past decade "will finally be resolved, now that President Lee Jae-myung has repeatedly expressed his will to appoint the nominee swiftly."
"It is a decision by the president to apply stricter standards to himself as the person ultimately responsible for state affairs," he said. "The Democratic Party will work to the end to normalize the system so that the president's will is properly realized."
Han bowed his head over a recent series of verbal missteps by party figures. "I feel a great sense of responsibility that the words and conduct of public officials belonging to the Democratic Party have fallen short of the public's expectations and standards," he said. "The Democratic Party must not forget for a single moment that it is the governing party bearing unlimited responsibility for running the country alongside the Lee Jae-myung administration. Returning to our original resolve, I will start with myself in taking a lower and more humble posture and devote myself solely to improving people's livelihoods."