Korean National Assembly
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| Korean National Assembly | |
|---|---|
 National Assembly of the Republic of Korea · South Korea-Gov · source | |
| Name | National Assembly |
| Native name | 대한민국 국회 |
| Legislature | 21st National Assembly |
| House type | Unicameral |
| Term limits | None |
| Leader1 type | Speaker |
| Leader1 | Kim Jin-pyo |
| Leader2 type | Deputy Speakers |
| Members | 300 |
| Voting system | Mixed-member proportional representation and first-past-the-post |
| Last election | 2020 South Korean legislative election |
| Next election | 2024 South Korean legislative election |
| Meeting place | National Assembly Building, Yeouido, Seoul |
Korean National Assembly
The National Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Korea and serves as the principal lawmaking body in Seoul. It enacts statutes, approves budgets, ratifies treaties, and exercises oversight over the President of South Korea, the Prime Minister of South Korea, and cabinet ministries such as the Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of National Defense. The Assembly operates within a constitutional framework shaped by the Constitution of South Korea and historical events including the Korean War, the April Revolution, and the pro-democracy movements culminating in the June Democratic Uprising.
History
The legislature traces its origins to the provisional bodies of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and post-liberation institutions after Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty (1910) ended. Early Republican parliaments convened under the 1948 Constitution of the Republic of Korea (1948) amid tensions with the People's Republic of China and the division along the 38th parallel. During the military regimes of Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan, the Assembly's role was constrained by emergency decrees and mechanisms such as the Yushin Constitution. Democratic transition returned substantial powers to the legislature after the 1987 constitutional reforms led by figures associated with the June Struggle and opposed to the Democratic Justice Party. Major legislative milestones include ratification of the Korean-Japanese Basic Treaty, enactment of the National Security Act (South Korea), and oversight during impeachments such as that of President Roh Moo-hyun and the later proceedings involving President Park Geun-hye.
Structure and Composition
The Assembly comprises 300 members: directly elected constituency representatives and proportional representatives apportioned under the electoral law, reflecting the balance between single-member districts and party lists established by the Public Official Election Act. Leadership offices include the Speaker of the National Assembly, two Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly, and leaders of party caucuses such as the Democratic Party of Korea, the People Power Party (South Korea), and smaller parties like the Justice Party (South Korea), Basic Income Party, and Open Democratic Party. Administrative organs include the Assembly Secretariat, the National Assembly Library, and the National Assembly Research Service, which interact with oversight agencies such as the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea and the Constitutional Court of Korea on matters of constitutional review and budgetary scrutiny.
Powers and Functions
Constitutionally empowered functions include enactment of statutes, approval of the national budget proposed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (South Korea), consent to international treaties including agreements with the United States–South Korea alliance and negotiations involving the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group, confirmation hearings for appointments like the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Korea and impeachment initiatives processed by the Constitutional Court of Korea. The Assembly exercises investigative powers through special committees and can summon cabinet ministers from institutions such as the Ministry of Justice (South Korea) or the Ministry of Unification for questioning. It also influences national security policy in coordination with bodies like the Joint Chiefs of Staff (South Korea) and considers legislation pertaining to trade partners such as China–South Korea relations and United States–South Korea relations.
Electoral System
Members are elected under a mixed system combining single-member district plurality and closed-list proportional representation, implemented via reforms influenced by debates involving the Electoral Commission (South Korea), the Constitutional Court of Korea, and parties such as the People's Party (South Korea, 2016) and the Bareunmirae Party. Key elections include the 2020 South Korean legislative election and the earlier 2016 South Korean legislative election. Voter registration and turnout are administered by the National Election Commission (South Korea)],] and campaign regulations intersect with media coverage by outlets like KBS (Korean Broadcasting System), MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation), and Yonhap News Agency.
Committees and Parliamentary Procedure
Legislative work is organized into standing committees such as the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Budget and Accounts Committee, Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Defense Committee, and Health and Welfare Committee, each mirroring ministries like the Ministry of Health and Welfare (South Korea) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Special committees can be formed for issues including intelligence oversight related to the National Intelligence Service (South Korea), ethics probes into figures like Chung Sye-kyun, and budgetary audits in cooperation with the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea. Parliamentary procedure follows rules set by the Assembly, with plenary sessions, bill submission processes, filibuster practices as seen during debates over the Anti-Corruption and Bribery Act and quorum requirements enforced through the Act on the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea.
Political Parties and Leadership
Major party blocs include the center-left Democratic Party of Korea and the conservative People Power Party (South Korea), with regional bases in provinces such as Gyeongsang and Jeolla and significant figures like Moon Jae-in, Lee Nak-yon, Lee Hae-chan, Yoon Suk-yeol, Hong Joon-pyo, and Lee Jun-seok shaping policy and parliamentary strategy. Smaller parties and independents—examples include Justice Party (South Korea), Progressive Party (South Korea, 2017), and Liberty Korea Party (predecessor)—affect coalition dynamics, committee chair assignments, and legislative agendas. Party whip systems, floor negotiations, and inter-party accords determine the passage of high-profile bills such as economic stimulus packages and amendments concerning the Civil Act (South Korea).
Buildings and Symbols
The Assembly meets in the National Assembly Building on Yeouido, a landmark near the Hangang River in Seoul. The building and adjacent National Assembly Library and Assembly Hall are venues for state ceremonies and visits by foreign delegations from the United States Congress, the National People's Congress (China), and the Japanese Diet. Symbols include the Assembly emblem and the ceremonial mace used during plenary sessions, and artifacts displayed in the Assembly Museum relating to constitutional history, the April Revolution, and notable legislative figures such as Kim Dae-jung and Park Chung-hee.