Parliamentary committee meeting on US investment bill halted amid partisan clash over judicial reform bills

A parliamentary special committee to fast-track legislation on Korea’s investment pledges to the United States opened its first meeting Thursday but was halted shortly after as rival parties clashed over unrelated judicial reform bills approved a day earlier. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) earlier agreed to establish the committee to handle a special bill to carry out Seoul’s investment pledges to the U.S. as part of a trade deal reached by the two countries last year, following tariff actions by U.S. President Donald Trump. In an online post last month, Trump threatened to raise reciprocal tariffs on Korean goods back to 25 percent from 15 percent, citing a delay in Seoul’s legislative process needed to move the trade deal forward. The committee’s first meeting, however, was stalled shortly after electing the chair and leadership positions of the committee. The PPP took issue with the parliamentary legislation and judiciary committee’s approval on Wednesday of two bills that would allow for constitutional appeal for cases fina

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