Saenuri, DUP agree to normalize parliament after 17-day stalemate
Major parties on Tuesday agreed to normalize the National Assembly after narrowing their differences over pending issues including measures against two lawmakers of the minority Unified Progressive Party at the center of election fraud.
Vice floor leaders Kim Gi-hyeon of the ruling Saenuri Party and Park Ki-choon of the main opposition Democratic United Party announced an agreement to proceed with the extraordinary session put on hold since its opening on Aug. 4.
“Both parties will sign a motion to review the qualifications as lawmakers of Reps. Lee Seok-ki and Kim Jae-yeon,” they said in a news conference.
Vice floor leaders, Kim Gi-hyeon (right) of the ruling Saenuri Party and Park Ki-choon of the main opposition Democratic United Party, hold a news conference at the National Assembly on Tuesday. (Yonhap News)
Once the motion is put forth, Speaker Kang Chang-hee is to deliver it to the ethics committee, according to the National Assembly Act.
Should the special panel decide that disciplinary action is needed, it will hand over its report to Kang, who will then put the issue to a vote in the general meeting.
The two figures will lose their parliamentary seat upon a two-thirds vote of the lawmakers present. They may also face other punishment such as a warning or temporary suspension.
The disputed lawmakers were asked to step down after the vote-rigging scandal in the nomination process for the party’s proportional representative candidates earlier this year. They were also criticized for their pro-communist political stances, was considered a threat to national security.
The embattled leftist party attempted to kick Lee and Kim out of the party but failed to reach the required quorum, leading to backlash from the public and the liberal camp.
To resolve the situation, the Saenuri and the DUP stepped up to work together, but both hold different views on the scandal-ridden party.
“It is the stern view of our party that Lee and Kim are not qualified as proportional representatives,” said Rep. Kim.
“The DUP did not agree completely on this stance but we hope to talk further and reach a full consensus.”
The DUP, on the other hand, remained relatively quiet the intervention as it is to form a left-wing alliance with the UPP in order to up its chances in the year-end presidential election.
Floor leaders also said they have reached an understanding to appoint a special prosecutor to look into allegations of illegal real estate transactions involving the purchase of a house in southern Seoul by President Lee Myung-bak. The home was purchased by Lee’s son so it could be used as a retirement home for the chief executive after he steps down from office next February.
The special prosecutor, who will be able to investigate for up to 45 days, will be recommended by the DUP and appointed by the president. The two parties will hold a plenary session to pass the special prosecutor motion as well as the 2011 budget settlement account on Aug. 30.
In addition, the Saenuri and DUP said they would pass a proposal to push forward a parliamentary probe to check allegations that the prime minister’s office carried out illegal probes on civilians.
The two parties, meanwhile, said they have concurred on the timetable for parliamentary activities for September that include policy speeches by heads of the ruling and main opposition parties, an interpretation session, and confirmation hearing for three Constitutional Court justices.
Saenuri and the DUP said they plan to pass the 2013 government budget on Nov. 22 so it does not interfere with the presidential election slated for Dec. 19.
By Bae Hyun-jung and Yonhap News ()
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
