Imperial State Council of Korea

한국의 왕국
Kingdom of Korea

N A T I O N A L - A S S E M B L Y
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National Assembly of Joseon

Seal of the National Assembly

Type

Type	Unicameral
House	National Assembly

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Taewang	Ahnjong
Prime Minister	Yi Jung-hee

Structure

Seats

627

National Assembly Negotiating Groups	█ DS (406) █ KSDP (81) █ LKP (81) █ ODP (59)

The National Assembly of Joseon

The National Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Korea, commonly known as Joseon. The National Assembly is made up of a Assembly Members (commonly shortened to AMs) the number of AMs varies depending on the boundary and seating reforms which take place in conjunction with the population census. Assembly Members are either elected via a single member district where the candidate with the most votes wins, or via a regional list which uses the D'Hondt method of proportional representation to elect an asigned number of AMs. Elections must take place every four years, unless the term is extened due to an ongoing crisis, the extension must be supported by two-thirds of AMs and be signed off by the King, the assembly may be dissolved earlier by the sitting Prime Minister by a super majority vote or by the King combined with a majority vote.

The National Assembly meets in the old building of the previous National Assembly in Seoul, it was debated during the unification process whether they should meet in the old Supreme Assembly in Pyongyang however this building is now being used for a mix of other governmental purposes and the Pyongan Regional Assembly. The Speaker and Deputy-Speakers sit along the front row facing the rest of the chamber, while the seating is laid out in a horseshoe arrangement, with the King having the option of sitting on the sidelines as he is not allowed to partake in debates.

The National Assembly is the primary legislative body in the Kingdom of Korea, legislation can be proposed by both the opposition and the government, but governmental is directed from the Cabinet which is chosen by the Prime Minister or on recommendation by the King.

Current Composition

Structure

The constitution stipulates that the assembly is presided over by a Speaker and two Deputy Speakers, who are responsible for expediting the legislative process. The Speaker and Deputy Speakers are elected in a secret ballot by the members of the Assembly, and their term in office is restricted to four years. The Speaker is independent of party affiliation, and the Speaker and Deputy Speakers may not simultaneously be government ministers. The King may sit in the Chamber during a parliamentary session and on special occaisions make a speech to the chamber but he cannot vote in the session although he may make recommendations and executive orders, he may also dismiss legisaltion if it is deemed 'too authoritarian' or against public opinion. He also had the ability to dismiss cabient members although a constitutional reasoning must be given.

Negotiation groups

Parties that hold at least 25 seats in the assembly form floor negotiation groups (Korean: 교섭단체, Hanja: 交涉團體, RR: gyoseop danche), which are entitled to a variety of rights that are denied to smaller parties. These include a greater amount of state funding and participation in the leaders' summits that determine the assembly's legislative agenda, it also grants AMs from those in groups greater speaking time and more office space.

Legislative process

To introduce a bill, a legislator must present the initiative to the Speaker with the signatures of at least fifteen other members of the assembly. The bill will then be edited by a committee to ensure that the bill contains correct and systematic language, it will then be debated by the Assembly and put to a 'pending' stage where suggestions made in the debate can be added into the bill and things taken out. After that it will be sent back to the Assembly to be either accepted to rejected.

Committees

There are 16 standing committees which examine and debate bills, petitions and protest matters falling under their respective jurisdictions, and perform other duties as prescribed by relevant laws including parliamentary outings, inviting specialist speakers, etc.

House Steering Committee
Legislation and Judiciary Committee
National Policy Committee
Finance Committee
Broadcasing and Communications Committee
Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee
Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee
National Defense, and Intelligence Committee
Security and Public Administration Committee
Environment, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee
Trade, Industry and Energy Committee
Health and Welfare Committee
Labor Committee
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee
Education, Science and Technology Committee
Gender Equality and Family Committee

Election

Since the return to democracy in 2019 that ended the Park Geun-hye Junta, the National Assembly has been elected every four years through a Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, meaning that some of the members are elected from constituencies according to the system of first past the post, while others are elected at a national level through proportional representation. As of 2027, 418 members are elected in single districts, the other 209 members are elected by party lists. The single-member results have no bearing on the numbers elected by party list.