The opposition-controlled National Assembly on Thursday passed a revision to the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act known commonly as the “yellow envelope bill.” 

The bill passed with 173 votes in favor and one abstention, with all People Power Party(PPP) lawmakers boycotting the vote after opting not to proceed with a filibuster campaign in a bid to block the revision’s passage.

The revision aims to limit the ability of companies to file claims against labor unions seeking compensation for damage incurred by a strike.

Despite the bill’s passage in parliament, however, President Yoon Suk Yeol can still exercise his veto power, which he has been advised to do by the ruling party.

With a two-thirds majority in parliament required to override a presidential veto, the DP lacks the numbers to unilaterally reach the 199 lawmakers needed in the 298-member chamber.

The ruling PPP scrapped plans to stage a filibuster against the Yellow Envelope bill to focus on blocking the opposition’s push to file an impeachment motion for KCC Chair Lee Dong-kwan.

If the PPP had staged a filibuster as planned the plenary would still be in session, which would have allowed the opposition DP to put the impeachment to a vote. 

As the PPP has scrapped its filibuster plans, the plenary is no longer in session and will not likely reconvene within the 72 hours of the impeachment motion being filed, which means that the motion will likely fizzle out without a vote being held.