By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Hong Joon-pyo, floor leader of the governing Grand National Party (GNP), said Tuesday that the GNP would consider allowing parties with less than 20 seats in the 299-member National Assembly to form negotiation groups.
The Liberty Forward Party (LFP) has called for the lowering of the requirement for parties to form groups in the unicameral legislature from the current 20-seat minimum to 15 seats. The LFP has 18 seats, while the GNP has 153 seats, and the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), 81 seats.
LFP floor leader Kwon Sun-taik hailed the conservative GNP move to lower the requirement, saying the plan, if adopted, would help fix discrimination against minority parties.
Meanwhile, the liberal DP has not commented on the issue with floor leader Cho Jeong-sik only asking, ``I wonder why the GNP brought up the issue now?'' casting doubt about the timing.
Hong said in an interview that, ``If a party has enough seats to send at least one lawmaker to each standing committee of the legislature, it should be considered a negotiating bloc.''
The remarks were construed as a willingness to discuss lowering the requirement with other parties.
Currently, there are 17 standing committees in the Assembly.
Negotiation blocs are entitled to receive more government subsidies than non-negotiating groups, and their lawmakers are eligible to chair committees.