Sixteen first-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party began a “72-hour emergency” sit-in in an attempt to press the ruling Saenuri Party into accepting their terms on a number of key issues including the railway strike and special investigation into the National Intelligence Service.

The lawmakers, including DP supreme council member Rep. Shin Kyoung-min, will stage the round-the-clock protest for three days.

Although the DP has succeeded in setting up a special parliamentary committee on NIS reform, its demands regarding a special probe have so far been largely ignored by the ruling party. At present the ruling party commands 155 of the 300 National Assembly seats.

The DP lawmakers are also calling for regulations for the protection of small firms, subcontractors and temporary employees to be processed this year, and for National Assembly’s cleaners to be employed directly by the government.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)