Outgoing National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa on Wednesday reiterated his support for an incoming bill to ease the requirements for parliamentary public hearings, warning against the ruling camp toying with a veto option.

The veteran lawmaker also pledged to initiate a new centrist political group, alluding to a split of the nation’s conservative bloc.

“It is a given constitutional duty of the legislature to supervise state affairs on behalf of the people and investigate key agendas when necessary,” Chung said at the press conference at the National Assembly marking the end of his speaker term.

“It is the administration that will be violating the principles of democracy by dismissing (such legislative functions).”

The fifth-term lawmaker, whose Saenuri affiliation has been held off during his two-year speaker term, is to step down from his post on Sunday, along with the outgoing 19th National Assembly.

“I have been told that some accused the public hearing bill of paralyzing administrative functions, which I hope is not true,” he said, referring to the revision bill of the parliamentary act.

The bill, motioned and put to floor vote by Chung himself, permits parliamentary committees to call for public hearings on key agendas. The current law limits such cases to issues related to law revisions or state audits.

The Blue House and the Saenuri Party, however, have argued that the eased regulations will lead to excessively frequent hearings and thus impede administration.

The speaker then announced his much-speculated plan to create a new centrist-conservative political group.

“Jointly with those who seek cooperative governance, solidarity and political reforms, I will build a ‘big tent’ to embrace centrist powers and create a new political order,” he said.

“The public made it clear in the April 13 general election that they want a fundamental change in politics.”

Having locked horns with the presidential office and his home party over several disputed bills, Chung earlier had said that he would not return to the Saenuri Party after his term as speaker ends. It was also through such conflicts that Chung consolidated his public image as a “man of principle” and potential conservative leadership material.

His political momentum grew even further after the factionally divided Saenuri Party was defeated in the April election, yielding its parliamentary majority and losing in several symbolic constituencies.

The party remains in disarray despite the latest efforts by newly-elected floor leader Chung Jin-suk, who arranged a closed-door meeting with former chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung and former Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan on Tuesday. Kim is viewed as a flag bearer for the faction disgruntled with the mainstream faction loyal to President Park Geun-hye. Choi is considered a key figure representing the latter.

The three reportedly agreed to abandon the party’s “factional politics” and reinforce the authority of a chairperson by reducing the power of the Supreme Council. The purported agreement, however, was met with fierce opposition from the rank-and-file members, who said Kim and Choi did not officially represent their voices.

Meanwhile, several incumbent and former Saenuri members, who voted in consent of the hearing bill, indicated they may join Chung’s new political cluster.

The list mostly includes those not affiliated with the pro-Park clique, such as former Incheon Mayor Rep. Ahn Sang-soo and former party floor leader Rep. Yoo Seong-min, who left the party to run in the parliamentary election.

“The (Saenuri) suddenly turned its back on the bill (that has been passed in a legitimate process), just because Cheong Wa Dae disapproves of it,” said Rep. Cho Jae-jin.

The Saenuri Party has been reluctant to accept some of the controversial defectors, namely Yoo, who has reiterated his wish to return after leaving the party prior to the election over a fallout with the president and a consequential nomination drop.

If the non-Park faction joins hands with Chung’s incoming group and it officially becomes a negotiating political party, the conservative camp would halve and the number of parliamentary parties would increase from the current four to five.

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