KOREA: Parties blame each other for turmoil

Opposition parties file two petitions with Constitutional Court to invalidate Grand National Party's unilateral passage of media bills

The Korea Herald
Friday, July 24, 2009

By Cho Ji-hyun

Opposition parties yesterday stepped up pressure on National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o and Vice Speaker Lee Yoon-sung to resign for pushing ahead with a floor vote on controversial media bills.

They also filed to the Constitutional Court two petitions signed by 92 lawmakers from the major opposition Democratic Party and minor oppositions Democratic Labor Party and Renewal of Korea Party to claim invalidity of the ruling party's unilateral passage of the bills.

"The Assembly speaker has committed an act of brutality under pressure from the ruling Grand National Party," DP floor leader Lee Kang-rae said during a rally of party lawmakers to denounce the Assembly leaders.

"The National Assembly has turned into a mess because we now have the worst-ever Assembly speaker. Kim must make a final decision and step down."

DP lawmaker Song Young-gil also said what the Assembly speaker showcased on Wednesday was political suicide.

DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun, who was on a hunger strike for the fifth day, said the task given to the main opposition party at this point was to move actively to invalidate the media bills in conflict.

"Until the September parliamentary session, we must also listen and communicate with the people to earn their trust and support," he said.

On Wednesday, the GNP rammed through the controversial media bills with its lawmakers seizing the Assembly speaker's podium.

With Speaker Kim delegating the right to preside over the plenary session to the vice speaker, Lee put the bills to a floor vote despite fierce objection from opposition parties.

Although physical clashes were spotted throughout the main chamber, the GNP was able to block the DP lawmakers from nearing the podium as the ruling party lawmakers had already secured the area.

Protesting the GNP's move, Rep. Choi Moon-soon, a DP lawmaker who was a former head of the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, announced his resignation.

"I was picked as a proportional representative in the field of media but I failed to protect the freedom of speech. Other legislators are not directly responsible for what had happened but I am, which is why I decided to leave the post," he told reporters.

Distancing themselves from the already-passed media-related bills, the GNP lawmakers said that now is the time to focus on the bills which affect the daily lives of people.

"Let's now spend all our energy in finding solutions on public welfare without looking back," said GNP Chairman Park Hee-tae in a meeting with its Supreme Council members.

The ruling party selected 25 bills that should be prioritized, which include a bill that would ease telecommunication cost and cut down commission of credit cards as well as a law aimed at reviving small-scale shops.

It also specified a revised bill on the irregular workers on the list, however, it is projected to be dealt with at the regular parliamentary session in September as the Assembly speaker hinted at having no intention to invoke his authority once again in the current extraordinary session.

GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo has urged the Assembly speaker to use his right to have an 18-month moratorium on the current irregular workers' law as more irregular workers are expected to lose jobs in the midst of economic difficulties.

(Under a law enforced in July 2007, companies are obliged to either transfer the status of irregular workers to regular after two years of full employment at a single workplace or lay them off. The law was applied to all workplaces as of July 1.

Date Posted: 7/24/2009