LKP boycotts talks with Cheong Wa Dae, DPK
By Choi Ha-young
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) vowed Thursday not to take part in a three-way policy consultative body encompassing the government and ruling and opposition parties.
The previous day, LKP lawmakers boycotted a confirmation vote on Prime Minister nominee Lee Nak-yon while lawmakers from all other parties cast ballots. Lee secured a majority and took office later in the day as the first prime minister of the Moon Jae-in administration.
“We don’t want to be a part of the consultative body that could be used as a political tool by Moon to push his policy agenda. We rather propose an alternative negotiating body led by the National Assembly,” LKP floor leader Chung Woo-taik said.
Prime Minister Lee visited offices of all major parties Thursday morning, but Chung refused to meet him.
“It would be very uncomfortable to meet with Lee. I don’t want to hold a meeting for the sake of meeting, which would only be a photo-op,” he said.
Since Moon took office on May 10, Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun has organized a weekly meeting among the floor leaders of major parties. On Monday, senior presidential secretary for political affairs Jun Byung-hun attended the meeting to call for the endorsement of Lee.
LKP floor leader Chung attended the meeting Monday, but said he would not attend any further weekly meetings.
“The uncooperative attitude of the LKP does more harm than good to the party,” Hangil Research director Hong Hyeong-sik told The Korea Times. “If the LKP breaks up negotiations between the President and the parties, it will be isolated further.”
Despite some of Lee’s flaws, 72 percent of respondents were in favor of his endorsement, according to a Realmeter poll.
“Compared to the minister-designates under conservative regimes, Lee was not so defective,” Hong said.
The LKP’s reckless stance to be a “clear-cut opposition party” is a result of the ongoing factional dispute in the party, Hong added.
After being defeated in the presidential by-election to replace ex-President Park Geun-hye, the pro- and anti-Park factions and individual lawmakers are competing over party leadership by raising their voices against Moon.
On the other hand, the resistance of the LKP is a high hurdle to overcome for the President, who has vowed collaboration with opponents, unlike the ousted President Park.
“The nomination of Prime Minister Lee was the first test bed of Moon. As the largest opposition party, it would have been difficult to give way to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea from the beginning,” Park Sang-hoon said.
“To bring the LKP to the negotiation table, there should be a concession of the ruling party as well, possibly regarding the budget or bills,” he added. “The role of Jun, Moon’s envoy to the Assembly, is crucial to facilitate the process.”