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.
Party leaders push for Sewol dialogue
Rep. Kim Moo-sung, left, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Rep. Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, shake hands ahead of a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, to discuss ways to resolve the deadlock on the special Sewol bill. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kim Moo-sung, chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, and Rep. Moon Hee-sang, interim leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), urged their floor leaders Monday to resume dialog to discuss the stalled special Sewol bill to get the National Assembly back on track.
“The call came as the two leaders agreed on the need to normalize the functions of the National Assembly to pass a backlog of pending bills,” said Rep. Yoo Ki-hong, spokesman of the ruling party, after Kim and Moon wrapped up a meeting that lasted for about 20 minutes.
The meeting took place four days after Moon was appointed as the new leader of the opposition, raising hopes about his possible role in breaking the deadlock between the rival camps.
During the meeting, the two agreed in principle that they need to push the bill, even though floor leaders ― the Saenuri Party’s Lee Wan-koo and NPAD’s Park Young-sun ― are the main negotiators.
But they fell short of drawing up detailed measures to resolve an impasse in a parliament that has not passed a single piece of legislation since May.
The meeting was arranged at the request of Moon following his appointment.
“I will do my utmost to push the special bill through at the earliest possible date,” Moon said ahead of the meeting.
The special bill regarding the sinking of the ferry Sewol was designed to set-up a fact-finding committee to fully investigate the April man-made disaster.
The relatives of those who died are calling for full investigative powers to be granted to the proposed committee, as well as legal powers to indict those alleged to be fully or indirectly responsible for the tragedy.
The NPAD has tried to side with the demands from the families, while the governing party is entirely opposed to the idea, arguing that it could damage the nation’s judicial system.
Instead, the Saenuri Party is calling for a special prosecutor to be appointed to probe the case.
While previously locking horns over the issue, rival parties once discussed giving the families who lost children or other members during the tragedy the right to select a special prosecutor. But this measure was also rejected by the families.
During a party meeting, which was held hours before he met his ruling party counterpart, Moon said, “I will spare no efforts to legislate the special law that can be accepted by the relatives of those who died during the disaster, or at least understood by the families.”
Watchers paid close attention to Moon’s choice of the word “understanding,” predicting that the NPAD could take a step back from the party’s existing position of complying with requests from the bereaved families regarding the bill.
If this occurs, it is likely that the rivals could agree to grant the families the right to select a special prosecutor when drawing up the final version of the bill before putting it to a vote in the Assembly.
Moon also urged his fellow lawmakers on Monday, to stop any activities that could provoke factional disputes in an apparent effort to overcome internal discord that has recently deepened within the party.
“Anyone can produce a different opinion. But those who slacken the discipline of the party will face harsh punishment,” he said.
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