By Jung Sung-ki, Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporters
The leader of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) Sunday offered to hold the ``last'' dialogue with opposition parties over disputed bills, including one on the ratification of the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (FTA).
GNP Chairman Park Hee-tae said his party would seek to resolve pending political confrontation over the trade bill and others by Thursday through dialogue with opposition parties.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) denounced the proposal, calling it a prelude to railroading pending bills. DP lawmakers demand President Lee Myung-bak apologize for what it sees the GNP's move to pass the FTA motion unilaterally.
``We'll do our best by Thursday to resolve the dispute over the FTA bill through dialogue with opposition parties,'' Park said in a press conference at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. ``We hope the ruling and opposition parties will be able to reach a common ground.''
The National Assembly has been paralyzed after the GNP approved the government's budget bill for next year and submitted the FTA motion to a judiciary subcommittee for deliberations in spite of opposition from the DP and the progressive Democratic Labor Party.
``Park's proposal for dialogue is an ultimatum before railroading the FTA motion,'' said Rep. Cho Jung-shik, a DP spokesman. ``A promise not to pass bills unilaterally is a precondition. We can't accept the proposal unless the GNP brings a `presidential certification' that it will not railroad malicious bills.''
Earlier, the DP filed a petition with the Constitutional Court against tabling the FTA bill to a subcommittee for deliberations without opposition parties' attendance.
DP floor leader Won Hye-young said that his party had no intention to hold talks with the GNP unless it apologizes for the unilateral action.
The contentious motion to ratify the FTA between South Korea and the United States is awaiting deliberations at the subcommittee before a final vote in a plenary session.
If it advances to the main floor of the Assembly session, presumably to take place this week, the GNP could solely pass the motion as it commands 172 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature. The DP has only 83 seats.
As the GNP asserted that it will review and pass pending bills and motions this year, further scuffles are expected to happen.
The DP has strongly objected to the unilateral move and the governing party said it will try to tune differences via various channels along with the opposition group until Thursday.
The GNP called for immediate cooperation, vowing to review the motion and other bills after the deadline and advance them to the main floor, with Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o invoking his power to table the motion.
Speaker Kim seems to feel burdened in exercising his power but has stressed that his urgent mission is to pass bills regarding bread-and-butter issues in a bid to overcome the global economic downturn.
Last Thursday, DP legislators belonging to the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs were about to enter the conference room but committee Chairman Park Jin blocked them by invoking his power, Rep. Lee Chun-seok of the DP said. ``It definitely violated our Constitutional rights.''
Having the closed-door meeting also goes against the principle of open deliberation and majority rule, he said.
Earlier, Chairman Lee Hoi-chang of the minor opposition Liberty Forward Party (LFP) also filed a petition with the authorities, arguing the introduction is invalid.
The largest opposition DP also declared an all-out war with the ruling camp as Won vowed to fight against an ``attempt for dictatorship.''
``We will never beg for talks and negotiations until President Lee and GNP leaders apologize for making the Assembly a battle field and promise to prevent reoccurrences,'' he said.
The floor leader also defended the violent clashes with a sledgehammer and electric chain saw last week, saying ``It is not wrong at all to take every countermeasure against military-like operations of the strong side.''