By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Incoming Grand National Party (GNP) floor leader Hong Joon-pyo's unusually active political moves, even before taking office, have spurred speculation from party insiders about his motives.
Rep. Hong is to replace Ahn Sang-soo, who has made a bid for the position of National Assembly speaker, Friday.
Hong held a meeting Tuesday with main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Sohn Hak-kyu and former President Kim Young-sam.
During the meeting, Hong and Sohn reportedly played a blame game regarding the responsibility for protests against the U.S. beef import deal and the stalemated free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Hong brought up the contentious issue first by asking Sohn to cooperate with the GNP in the ratification of the FTA deal before the 17th National Assembly ends.
UDP Chairman Sohn stood firm on his opposition, claiming President Lee Myung-bak is responsible for the stalemate of the FTA, not the main opposition party.
Sohn said a government negotiating team committed blunders in the beef deal with the United States, which caused the public to get angry with the administration.
Hong did not make a counter accusation regarding the matter.
Sources said Hong will also set a date to meet with minor opposition Liberty Forward Party leader Lee Hoi-chang, and Renewal of Korea Party Chairman Moon Kook-hyun sometime this week.
Party insiders speculated about Hong's motives, as he also met with former party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, Tuesday.
Hong and Park discussed the issue of bringing back Park's supporters who left the governing party after being eliminated in the selection of candidates to run in the April 9 elections.
Earlier, Hong said the GNP should allow them to rejoin, as the party was their ``home.''
He made the remarks after party leaders agreed to look for the right time for the lawmakers to return.
Hong's remarks raised GNP Chairman Kang Jae-sup's ire as he once stood firm on banning the lawmakers from rejoining the party.
Kang said, ``(Hong's remarks) are just like pouring a bucket of gasoline on a house on fire.''
He said the GNP is in deep trouble over the resumption of U.S. beef imports as well as the FTA, and the new floor leader was going to create another headache for the party by raising another controversial issue.