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| Lawmakers of the left-leaning opposition Unified Progressive Party stage a hunger strike after having their heads shaved to protest the government's move to ban their party in front of the main building of the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. The government filed a petition with the Constitutional Court calling for dissolving the party. From left are Reps. Lee Sang- kyu, Kim Mi-hyui, Oh Byung-yun, Kim Sun-dong and Kim Jae-yeon. / Yonhap |
By Chung Min-uck
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) is currently in an awkward position after the Park Geun-hye administration filed a petition with the Constitutional Court calling for the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party (UPP) to be dissolved.
It is apparent that members of the DP want to bluntly criticize President Park for seeking to ban the left-leaning party which once formed an alliance with the DP ahead of last year's parliamentary elections.
However, out of fear of being labeled "pro-North Korea" alongside the UPP, the biggest opposition party is adopting a cautious, and somewhat ambiguous, stance simultaneously criticizing both Park and the UPP.
The so-called "North Korea card" played by conservatives here involves painting liberals as pro-North and has successfully played into major elections here.
Parties are bracing for local elections scheduled to be held in June next year.
"Political forces that politicize the eradication of pro-North Korea powers are as bad as those who are pro-North. They should not be forgiven," said Rep. Jun Byung-hun, floor leader of the DP during the party's supreme council meeting. "We wish the Constitutional Court to make a fair and rational decision."
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, an independent lawmaker and former presidential candidate seeking to create a new opposition party, also voiced a similar opinion on Wednesday.
"It is regretful that the executive branch of the government has made this proposal," Ahn told the reporters. "But let's wait and see the judgment made by the court."
Meanwhile, experts say that the liberal bloc must unite and highlight the act of "overstepping" made by the executive body.
"Liberals, including the DP, are backing away from the issue to evade being perceived of as pro-North," said Professor Kim Joon-suk of Dongguk University. "Regardless of the UPP's ideological tendency, the lawmakers at the National Assembly must take the initiative in the issue centered on disbanding a political party that is part of the parliament."
"The administrative and legislative branch need checks and balances and the former having to decide on the latter's matter is a serious problem," he added.
In an unprecedented move, the government on Tuesday filed a petition calling for the minor opposition party to be dissolved. The UPP became infamous for taking on a pro-North stance engaging in acts such as praising the communist regime.
It comes two months after some of its members, including Rep. Lee Seok-ki, were arrested on charges of plotting to overthrow the government in the event of an inter-Korean war.
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