President Lee Myung-bak, center, talks with Rep. Kang Jae-sup, left, chairman of the governing Grand National Party, and Park Jae-wan, senior presidential secretary for political affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, over ways to settle the ongoing controversy over the resumption of U.S. beef imports. / Korea Times Photo by Sohn Yong-seok |
By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak Monday expressed his willingness to dismiss a few Cabinet ministers and secretaries to calm public outrage triggered by the government's 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.
President Lee said he would listen to the opinions of leaders before taking steps to resolve the issue.
In his meeting with Grand National Party Chairman Kang Jae-sup at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee hinted that he will soon conduct a reshuffle in a bid to overcome his leadership crisis.
``The President also told Chairman Kang that he would listen to the opinions of advisors 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 a 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.
In addition, the government will unveil measures to strengthen food safety standards for U.S. beef imports and ease public discontent over rising oil and raw material prices, they said.
But the presidential office clarified that it would not withdraw its decision to post new rules regarding U.S. beef imports in the government gazette, slated for Tuesday. It is a necessary step before importing American beef.
``The government will make various efforts to placate public resentment, but the official posting of the U.S. beef import deal cannot be postponed or scrapped,'' the spokesman said.
United Democratic Party (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.
She 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 using violence.
``If the U.S. beef import deal is officially posted June 3, it will be recorded as a day of national disgrace, and one that would negatively affect our decedents' health,'' Cha added.
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.''
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.
kys@koreatimes.co.kr
|
yistory@koreatimes.co.kr
