The major parties agreed to hold a provisional session for the last time before the next parliamentary term starts, in order to handle some of the currently pending bills.

“I have reached an agreement with my opposition counterpart Rep. Kim Jin-pyo to hold a session next Tuesday,” said Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party on Tuesday.

“We expect to wrap up urgent issues such as a bill to prevent violence in the National Assembly.”

Ruling party lawmakers have often come under fire for railroading controversial bills amid scuffles, including the free trade agreement with the United States.

The parties’ agreement came in response to public criticism that the 18th National Assembly has neglected its legislative duties amid political feuds.

Over the last four years, a total of 13,878 new bills have been submitted to the house but only 44 percent of them have been legislated, according to officials.

All of the pending bills are to be scrapped on May 29, the last day of the current term, unless parties pass them during the provisional session.

However, rival parties have so far failed to reach a compromise on most disputed bills, except the one to prevent violence among lawmakers in the process of legislation.

Also, it remains doubtful whether the main opposition Democratic United Party will be able to actively communicate with the ruling party as it is run by an interim leader.

DUP chairperson Han Myeong-sook resigned from her post last Friday, taking responsibility for the party’s general election results which fell below expectations.

The ruling party, after acquiring a parliamentary majority in last week’s vote, vowed to reinforce its economic policies while pushing political reforms further to meet voters’ expectations.

It will focus on those bills closely related to people’ livelihood, including the pharmacist law revision bill, which would allow the sales of over-the-counter drugs at establishments that are not pharmacies, such as convenience stores. The pharmacist law revision, opposed by pharmacists who fear the loss of income, has gathered dust at the assembly due to lawmakers of both parties who do not want to lose their votes.

The left-wing DUP, more preoccupied with rearranging its power structure ahead of the year-end presidential race, claimed that pending bills should be handed over to the next parliament to be discussed from scratch.

Also, parties stand at odds over the government’s illicit surveillance of civilians. The Saenuri camp demanded that a special counsel be introduced, whereas the DUP called for a state investigation.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)