By Jun Ji-hye
A mass organized by members of a Catholic community here calling for President Park Geun-hye's resignation is aggravating confrontation between rival political parties.
The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) held the mass Friday, and called on Park to step down and for her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, to be arrested, to take responsibility for the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) alleged meddling in the 2012 presidential election.
During the mass held in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Father Park Chang-shin also blamed a South Korea-U.S. military exercise in the West Sea for the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island three years ago by North Korea that killed four people.
The gathering fueled the confrontation on the NIS scandal, which has lasted for almost a year and was recently aggravated after the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded that a special prosecutor be appointed to uncover truth behind the incident.
The ruling Saenuri Party and Cheong Wa Dae reacted by strongly protesting against the mass.
"I wonder which country they belong to," said senior presidential press secretary Lee Jung-hyun, Saturday.
Members of the ruling party said Father Park was justifying the North's shelling of Yeonpyeong.
Rep. Yoo Seong-min, who heads the National Assembly Defense Committee, issued a statement Sunday.
"Father Park and the CPAJ members need to confess their sins and apologize to the public," he said.
The DP sided with the priest to some extent, saying President Park and the Saenuri Party need to listen carefully to what the message was.
"President Park has brought such a move upon herself," said Rep. Jun Byung-hun, the DP floor leader.
He did, however, attempt to distance himself from the comments on the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.
"I understand his loyalty to the nation, but I do not agree with his perception of this event," said Jun.
On Sunday, the Ministry of National Defense issued a statement condemning the priest's remarks.
"The remarks justify North Korea's provocation, demoralize the public sense of national security and the military, and exert a bad influence on our people's will to defend the NLL," the statement said. "It is an irrational act that should never happen, and insults the soldier and civilian victims, who dedicated themselves to national security, as well as their families."
Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, also spoke against "political intervention" Father Park. "Priests should refrain from directly intervening in politics. It should be the responsibility of ordinary believers," he said in a mass at Myeongdong Cathedral.
Following the controversial mass, negotiations over the audit of the 2012 budget and setting 2014 government spending are expected to face a bumpy road.
The Budget Settlement Committee of the National Assembly planned to resume its session after the parliamentary interpellation session finishes today. The committee wants to pass the 2012 budget settlement at Thursday's plenary session.
The ruling and largest opposition party has also agreed to undertake discussion from Tuesday on the budget for next year.
In accordance with the relevant law, the budget needs to be approved before Dec. 2, but chances seem to be very low that the deadline will be met.
In addition, parties are expected to continue their battle over Assembly approval of Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) chief nominee Hwang Chan-hyon.
The DP said it will agree to vote on a motion to appoint Hwang, only after Moon Hyung-pyo, the nominee to head the Ministry of Health and Welfare, steps down from consideration.
The ruling party is pressuring Assembly Speaker Rep. Kang Chang-hee to exercise his authority to put the motion to a vote at the earliest possible date, saying the DP is opposing approval without reasonable cause.
A mass organized by members of a Catholic community here calling for President Park Geun-hye's resignation is aggravating confrontation between rival political parties.
The Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) held the mass Friday, and called on Park to step down and for her predecessor, Lee Myung-bak, to be arrested, to take responsibility for the National Intelligence Service's (NIS) alleged meddling in the 2012 presidential election.
During the mass held in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, Father Park Chang-shin also blamed a South Korea-U.S. military exercise in the West Sea for the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island three years ago by North Korea that killed four people.
The gathering fueled the confrontation on the NIS scandal, which has lasted for almost a year and was recently aggravated after the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanded that a special prosecutor be appointed to uncover truth behind the incident.
The ruling Saenuri Party and Cheong Wa Dae reacted by strongly protesting against the mass.
"I wonder which country they belong to," said senior presidential press secretary Lee Jung-hyun, Saturday.
Members of the ruling party said Father Park was justifying the North's shelling of Yeonpyeong.
Rep. Yoo Seong-min, who heads the National Assembly Defense Committee, issued a statement Sunday.
"Father Park and the CPAJ members need to confess their sins and apologize to the public," he said.
The DP sided with the priest to some extent, saying President Park and the Saenuri Party need to listen carefully to what the message was.
"President Park has brought such a move upon herself," said Rep. Jun Byung-hun, the DP floor leader.
He did, however, attempt to distance himself from the comments on the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island.
"I understand his loyalty to the nation, but I do not agree with his perception of this event," said Jun.
On Sunday, the Ministry of National Defense issued a statement condemning the priest's remarks.
"The remarks justify North Korea's provocation, demoralize the public sense of national security and the military, and exert a bad influence on our people's will to defend the NLL," the statement said. "It is an irrational act that should never happen, and insults the soldier and civilian victims, who dedicated themselves to national security, as well as their families."
Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, archbishop of Seoul, also spoke against "political intervention" Father Park. "Priests should refrain from directly intervening in politics. It should be the responsibility of ordinary believers," he said in a mass at Myeongdong Cathedral.
Following the controversial mass, negotiations over the audit of the 2012 budget and setting 2014 government spending are expected to face a bumpy road.
The Budget Settlement Committee of the National Assembly planned to resume its session after the parliamentary interpellation session finishes today. The committee wants to pass the 2012 budget settlement at Thursday's plenary session.
The ruling and largest opposition party has also agreed to undertake discussion from Tuesday on the budget for next year.
In accordance with the relevant law, the budget needs to be approved before Dec. 2, but chances seem to be very low that the deadline will be met.
In addition, parties are expected to continue their battle over Assembly approval of Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) chief nominee Hwang Chan-hyon.
The DP said it will agree to vote on a motion to appoint Hwang, only after Moon Hyung-pyo, the nominee to head the Ministry of Health and Welfare, steps down from consideration.
The ruling party is pressuring Assembly Speaker Rep. Kang Chang-hee to exercise his authority to put the motion to a vote at the earliest possible date, saying the DP is opposing approval without reasonable cause.
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