Floor leaders join hands after reaching an agreement on disputed bills at the National Assembly, Tuesday. From left, Moon Kook-hyun of an alliance of two minor opposition parties, Won Hye-young of the largest opposition Democratic Party and Hong Joon-pyo of the governing Grand National Party. / Yonhap |
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The governing and opposition parties agreed Tuesday to deliberate a motion to ratify the free trade agreement with the United States (KORUS FTA) after U.S. President-elect Barack Obama takes office on Jan. 20.
The agreement was made after the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) ended its 12-day sit-in at the National Assembly main chamber and two committee conference rooms earlier in the day.
The accord normalized the legislature after three weeks of paralysis.
Opposition parties have called for more relief programs to assist local farmers and companies expected to suffer business losses if the trade pact goes into effect.
In a meeting at the Assembly, floor leaders of the governing Grand National Party (GNP), the DP and an alliance of two minor opposition parties also agreed to table bills to allow conglomerates to own up to a 10-percent stake in banks, up from the current 4 percent ceiling, and invest more flexibly beyond the current pre-set ceiling, during an Assembly session in February.
The parties, however, must reach an accord on the two bills before any vote, indicating the GNP is not allowed to railroad them if the DP disagrees.
As for media-related motions, the GNP said it will also seek a compromise on newspaper companies and conglomerates buying up to a 20-percent stake in a broadcaster, or purchasing 49 percent of the shares in a cable news network, before a vote.
They made it clear that neither side would push for passage of the bills without the other's consent.
Opponents have claimed the bills could allow conservative newspaper companies and chaebol to control broadcasting networks.
The parties plan to table 13 other disputed bills, including measures to stiffen punishment for cyberspace libel; to ban protesters from wearing masks during rallies; and to expand mobile phone wiretapping, in the February session.
The GNP's decision-making Supreme Counsel approved the agreement.
DP legislators and their aides had occupied the Assembly since late last month to block the governing party's possible unilateral passage of the disputed bills, particularly the KORUS FTA motion and media-related bills.
The governing party can push for a vote on the trade pact after discussions with opposition lawmakers, even if they oppose it, the accord said. The conservative GNP has 172 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature, enough to ensure the passage of any bills, except for a revision of the Constitution, without the participation of opposition legislators. The liberal DP has 82 seats.
In previous talks, the ruling party maintained that the bills should be passed in February, while the DP reiterated that they should work toward gaining approval without setting specific deadlines.
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