Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
LKP begins nationwide street rallies
Four lawmakers and a branch chief of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) shave their heads in protest of the other four parties' decision to fast-track reform bills at the National Assembly, Thursday. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) stepped up its protest against the ruling camp, Thursday, after failing to block the National Assembly from fast-tracking reform bills.
The party rejected calls from other parties to join efforts to fine-tune details of the reform bills, and launched a special committee to “fight against leftist rule.”
Four LKP lawmakers including Rep. Kim Tae-heum, head of the committee, had their heads shaved at the National Assembly, Thursday, to protest the reform bills, accusing President Moon Jae-in and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) of attempting to extend their “dictatorship” and thus destroying democracy. Earlier on Tuesday, LKP lawmaker Park Dae-chul shaved his own head to protest the fast-tracking.
“Today, we are going to shave our heads to protest the DPK and its followers who violated the principles of parliamentary democracy by having illegally fast-tracked bills on electoral reform and the establishment of a body that can investigate high-ranking officials,” Kim said, Thursday.
The LKP also began nationwide rallies against the Moon Jae-in administration.
“It only took two years for the administration to ruin our economy and endanger people’s lives,” LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn said in a rally near Seoul Station, Thursday.
“The LKP is starting a long journey from Seoul Station to protest the dictatorship and save people’s lives.”
The moves came after the conservative party failed to stop the other parties — the DPK, the Bareunmirae Party (BMP), the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and the Justice Party — from fast-tracking the reform bills Monday and Tuesday. The political parties all agreed to fast-track the bills in principle last year, but the LKP reversed its stance after Rep. Na Kyung-won was elected as floor leader of the party in December. The four parties pushed ahead with putting the bills on the fast track without the participation of the LKP.
The bills will be put to a vote during an Assembly session within 330 days regardless of any bipartisan agreement. The proposals, however, can be revised before being put to a vote.
Criticizing the four parties’ cooperation, the leadership of the LKP pledged to start political demonstrations in Gwanghwamun in downtown Seoul, Tuesday, but this was prevented by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
Mayor Park said on Facebook Wednesday that the LKP’s move to hold a street protest after declining to have discussions with the other four parties was “groundless and unlawful.” Park also implied that he will not approve the LKP’s street protests in Seoul, saying “It is illegal to hold a street protest without permission from the Seoul Metropolitan Government.”
Stressing the fast-track move was lawful, Rep. Hong Young-pyo, floor leader of the DPK, urged the LKP to talk with the other parties. “It is not the main opposition’s job to give up joining negotiations between the parties,” he said.
“I desperately ask the LKP to stop ignoring the people’s wishes and join the normalization of the Assembly.”
Hong also pointed out the LKP’s intention to take to the streets is to rally more supporters before the 2020 general elections.
On Wednesday, floor leaders of the four parties released a statement apologizing for making noise about fast-tracking bills at the Assembly and urging the LKP to resume their parliamentary activities.