By Kim Yon-se, Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporters
The government will delay the resumption of U.S. beef imports by delaying posting the new American beef import rules in its official gazette, the Ministry of Agriculture said Monday.
The decision came after an official request from the governing Grand National Party (GNP) earlier in the day. The posting was scheduled for today.
President Lee Myung-bak, meanwhile, expressed his willingness to dismiss some Cabinet ministers and secretaries in a bid to stem the crisis triggered by the decision to resume U.S. beef imports.
But opposition parties warned that the Cabinet reshuffle without holding ``renegotiations'' with the United States will only worsen the situation.
Some GNP lawmakers demanded that Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and presidential chief of s Ryu Woo-ik should also take responsibility for the difficulties facing the ruling camp.
In his meeting with GNP Chairman Kang Jae-sup at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee hinted that he will soon conduct a reshuffle in a bid to overcome his leadership crisis.
``The President also told Kang that he would listen to the opinions of elder leaders before announcing comprehensive steps to appease public resentment,'' presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.
Lee and Kang discussed the establishment of a new organization for more, smoother communication with the public as well as the Cabinet shuffle, the spokesman said.
Government sources said the reshuffle would affect four to five ministers and replace several of his senior secretaries as early as Thursday.
Those to be dismissed include Agriculture Minister Chung Woon-chun and Minister of Health, Welfare and family Affairs Kim Soung-yee, the sources said.
In addition, the government will unveil measures to strengthen food safety standards for the beef imports and ease public discontent over rising oil and raw material prices, they said.
Three opposition parties plan to boycott the official inaugural session of the new National Assembly if the government remains unchanged in its position on the resumption of beef imports, political sources said.
They proposed that a meeting between President Lee Myung-bak and the leaders of the three parties be held as soon as possible to resolve the issue.
The Assembly is to elect a new speaker and two vice speakers during an opening ceremony slated for Thursday. In addition, President Lee is scheduled to deliver an address to parliament.
``We will make a final decision after the government presents more measures to resolve the beef issue and its plan to reshuffle Cabinet ministers and presidential aides,'' said Rep. Won Hye-young, chief policymaker of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP).
When asked whether they would boycott the opening of the Assembly or not, Won said, ``We will decide … depending on the situation.''
Other UDP officials also raised negative prospects for starting the new parliament, saying many party lawmakers think now is not the time to sit down and applaud the President's speech.
A spokesman of the progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) made it clear that his party will boycott the Assembly.
UDP spokeswoman Cha Young said, ``President Lee may be under pressure to give up the remainder of his term by choosing not to hold renegotiations with the U.S.'' Lee took office in late February.
Cha said the Lee administration is trying to evade what the people really want, and to overcome his leadership crisis by repressing the protests against the U.S. beef deal.
Democratic Labor Party (DLP) spokesman Park Sung-hup also said it is doubtful that Lee's tenure will be guaranteed due to his ``arrogant stance toward the people.''
Protestors are concerned about the dangers of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) also known as mad cow disease.
Prime Minister Han said he feels responsible for failing to properly supervise Cabinet ministers.
^``Utmost efforts should be made to solve this difficult problem,'' he said.
Presidential chief of staff Ryu apologized for the decision to resume U.S. beef imports and negative public opinion over it, saying, ``I think I should take responsibility for the deteriorating situation.''
The UDP, however, is keeping up its barrage of attacks, urging the government to renegotiate the issue with the United States.
``If the President tries to patch up the issue and avert criticism by only firing ministers and some of his aides, we will firmly resist it,'' UDP Co-Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu said.
GNP Chairman Kang also made public his decision to allow all lawmakers supporting former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye to rejoin the ruling party as part of efforts to mend the party's internal rift ahead of the Cabinet shakeup. Those legislators were elected as independents or on non-GNP tickets in April's general elections.
^ksy@koreatimes.co.kr