[Editorial] Though it’s ending, the filibuster was not a waste of time

Posted on : 2016-03-02 15:39 KST Modified on : 2016-03-02 15:39 KST
At the entrance to the National Assembly main hall
At the entrance to the National Assembly main hall

The filibuster in the National Assembly of the anti-terror bill, which aims to give unchecked authority to the National Intelligence Service (NIS), giving rise to concerns about infringement of privacy and civil rights, came to an end on Mar. 2.

While 39 lawmakers in various opposition parties (including the Minjoo Party of Korea, the People’s Party and the Justice Party) fought tooth and nail in the world’s longest relay filibuster, which lasted for 180 hours over nine days, in the end they were unable to break through the stubborn roadblock of the government of President Park Geun-hye and the ruling Saenuri Party (NFP). It is regrettable and discouraging that the question of who was right mattered less than the question of who had more votes.

What deserves the harshest criticism is the anti-democratic and non-communicative attitude of the government and the ruling party, who obstinately refused to change the slightest part of the bill, even though the filibuster brought to light numerous problems with the anti-terror bill and increased public opposition. The government and the ruling party exploited the fact that, with the parliamentary elections only 40 days away, the opposition parties could no longer delay defining the election districts.

Furthermore, the behavior of Speaker Chung Ui-hwa, who came up with a far-fetched interpretation of a legal requirement about a “national state of emergency” in order to bring the anti-terror bill to the floor for a vote, will leave a stain on the history of the National Assembly.

Regardless, the filibuster led by the Minjoo Party of Korea was not a pointless waste of time.

One positive result of the filibuster was that opposition lawmakers succeeded in drawing attention for several days to each of the problems with the anti-terror bill, which resonated beyond the National Assembly with members of the general public. Lawmakers vividly described how, if the bill passes, the NIS will be able to inspect bank accounts and snoop on phone calls at its own discretion.

Another major accomplishment of the filibuster was that it increased interest in politics among the public. TV channels that covered the filibuster gained popularity, and netizens became active participants, even providing material to lawmakers who were speaking.

The filibuster inspired “citizen filibusters” that were held outside the National Assembly and brought crowds into the public galleys in the main chamber of the National Assembly. It also boosted a democratic consciousness among the public, showing them that they need to play a leading role in the legislative work of lawmakers, who are, after all, their representatives.

At this point, the conclusion of the filibuster is likely to provoke a complicated mixture of emotions, depending on the person - emotions such as disappointment, resignation, anger and sadness. But considering that a filibuster is not some kind of magic wand that can block any bill and that the parliamentary election was drawing closer, the reality is that the filibuster could not have gone on much longer. This is even more the case considering how the Saenuri Party was adamantly refusing to cooperate.

Now, the important thing is maintaining the public awareness of the issue and interest in politics through the parliamentary elections, which will be held on Apr. 13.

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