The National Assembly is set to convene the last plenary meeting of the January extraordinary session on Thursday with prospects for the passage of an extension of a grace period for a workplace safety bill uncertain.

The floor leaders of the ruling People Power Party(PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party(DP) failed to reach agreement in the last-minute negotiations on Wednesday over a PPP-proposed compromise of a one-year deferment of the  Serious Accident Punishment Act for small companies instead of the original two years.

DP floor leader Hong Ik-pyo told reporters that there are several controversial bills ahead of the plenary session, so the rival parties have agreed to discuss concerns as much as possible.

PPP floor leader Yun Jae-ok declined to comment, saying that issuing a statement will not help negotiations.

The PPP proposed that the rival parties pass the compromise in Thursday’s plenary session, but the DP has insisted on the creation of an industrial safety health agency that will oversee and investigate violations of the proposed bill.