Bill to monitor school lunch safety pushed through
A special National Assembly session, called because several bills were getting backed up on the docket, ended June 30 without seeing debate on a bill revision that would monitor private schools to ensure clean financial practices. Discussion of the bill was pushed to a later date by the main opposition Grand National Party lawmakers, saying the law is interlinked with others needing to be dealt with simultaneously. Revision of the bill has gained in support following a release last week of findings by the Board of Audit and Inspection, which showed widespread corruption at all levels of South Korea’s private secondary schools and universities.The National Assembly held the final special plenary session yesterday and voted on five bills relating to livelihood, such as revision of a law that would apply more stringent standards to school lunch safety. Signing of that bill was strongly sought after a massive food poisoning outbreak last month in the Seoul area left nearly 2,000 ill. Grand National Party lawmakers had tried to delay voting on that bill, as well, claiming it was related to the bill to monitor private schools and other public livelihood-related laws. As the so-called "school meal law" revision was passed by the Assembly, schools will have to directly manage their cafeterias to ensure safety standards are being met. The assembly yesterday also confirmed five new Supreme Court justices, including Ahn Dai-hee, chief prosecutor of the Seoul Higher Prosecutors’ Office. Besides Ahn Dai-hee, the Assembly approved as Supreme Court justices Kim Neung-hwan, a chief of Ulsan District Court, Park Ill-hoan, a chief of Seoul Western District Court, Lee Hong-hun, a chief of Ulsan District Court, and Chon Soo-an, a chief of Gwangju District Court. Out of 295 legislators, 249 participated in the voting. Kim Neung-hwan received 238 votes (95.6 percent), Park Ill-hoan 233 votes (93.6 percent), Ahn Dai-hee 196 votes (78.7 percent), Lee Hong-hun 231 votes (92.8 percent), and Chon Soo-an 217 votes (87.1 percent). The next National Assembly session is slated for early September.
