Jun Ji-hye, a reporter at the finance desk of The Korea Times, focuses primarily on economic policy and government agencies, mainly covering the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Budget and Planning, the National Tax Service and the Korea Customs Service. She previously covered financial authorities, including the Financial Services Commission and the Financial Supervisory Service, and earlier worked on the political, city and business desks, reporting on a wide range of issues.
Park snubs Ahn's request for talks
Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, returns to his seat after speaking at a party meeting on the local elections in the National Assembly Library, Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
President Park Geun-hye rejected Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo’s call to meet over the practice of parties nominating candidates for local elections, Monday, the deadline set by the co-chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD).
“Park disrespected the leader of the main opposition party that holds 130 National Assembly seats and received support of 48 percent from the public during the 2012 presidential election,” the NPAD said.
Ahn made a surprise visit to Cheong Wa Dae, Friday, to submit an application for a meeting with President Park to her secretary, saying he wanted Park to explain the reason the ruling Saenuri Party decided to maintain party nominations for lower-level municipal and provincial council candidates ahead of the June 4 local elections.
Park made no comment about the proposal during her appearance at a meeting with senior secretaries Monday.
She only sent Park Joon-woo, senior secretary for political affairs, to the National Assembly to visit Ahn and Rep. Kim Han-gil, the other co-chairman of the NPAD.
During a closed-door meeting that ran about 10 minutes, the secretary delivered the president’s stance _ whether to abolish the party nomination is related to whether to revise the Election Law, which should be decided through a bipartisan agreement, not by the President.
He also quoted Park as saying, “It is improper for the president to talk about political affairs at a time when parties have begun their activities for the local polls, because this could cause controversy over the president’s political neutrality.”
The secretary added there will be a chance for the President and parties to discuss matters related to the people’s livelihoods after the elections.
“Nobody will question Park’s political neutrality even if she meets the opposition leader now,” Ahn said.
He first suggested a meeting with her late last month, criticizing the governing side for breaking its campaign pledge.
During the 2012 presidential poll, then ruling party candidate Park, along with Rep. Moon Jae-in, candidate of the now-defunct Democratic Party, and Ahn, all pledged to abolish the nomination system to reform the political landscape.
Ahn and Kim earlier said their party will not nominate candidates in the upcoming local polls to fulfill a promise to the public.
Rep. Lee Yoon-seok, NPAD spokesman, said Park had ignored a request from the head of the leading opposition party.
“We cannot hide our indignation,” Lee said. “If Park continues to keep silent about the end of the party nomination system, it will amount to her denial of fair elections, which will damage the nation’s democratic process.”
The spokesman said voters will judge her administration which is blinded by self-righteous arrogance in the June 4 elections.
However, resistance from members of his own party also remains a big burden for Ahn.
The failure to meet Park is expected to undermine Ahn’s position.
Rep. Jung Cheong-rae claimed the two chairmen should overturn their decision to abolish the nomination system to save about 3,000 party members, saying if the NPAD does not nominate candidates, the election results are expected to be devastating for the party.
Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, the Saenuri Party’s floor leader, argued: “Ahn should set his own party in order before making threats to the President.”