South Korea Shortens Fast-Track Bill Review to 90 Days, Grants Land Zone Authority to Minister

South Korea's National Assembly has enacted a significant legislative change, drastically reducing the review period for fast-tracked bills from a maximum of 330 days to just 90 days. This revision to the National Assembly Act, passed by the ruling party-led coalition, aims to expedite legislative processes.

In addition to speeding up bill reviews, the new legislation empowers the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport with the authority to designate land transaction permit zones within the same province. This move is part of a broader push by the government and ruling party to address real estate market concerns. Several related bills were successfully passed, signaling progress on the administration's agenda.

However, the legislative session was not without contention. The Democratic Party and its allies pushed the bill through the plenary session with a vote of 153 in favor and 81 against. The process was initially delayed by a filibuster initiated by the conservative People Power Party. The filibuster automatically ended with the conclusion of the previous temporary session, allowing the bill to be automatically placed on the agenda for the current session's first plenary meeting.

The revised act specifically shortens the deliberation period for fast-tracked bills to 60 days in standing committees and an additional 30 days for systematic and textual review by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. Despite the passage of these key bills, some legislation, such as the special act for the Yongsan Park development, did not make it to a vote due to opposition from the People Power Party.