Lee Calls for Unity in Ruling Camp
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak called on the Grand National Party (GNP) Monday to exert all possible efforts to tide over economic challenges, saying stronger teamwork between the administration and the governing party was crucial to getting the economy back on track.
``Korea can overcome economic obstacles only when the ruling camp unites together,'' Lee said during his meeting with 23 GNP heavyweights, including Chairman Park Hee-tae and former Chairwoman Park Geun-hye at Cheong Wa Dae. ``Let's do our best to show people the bud of hope. Strengthening internal cooperation in the ruling camp is the key to reviving the economy.''
The meeting came as the National Assembly opened an extra 30-day session Monday to discuss media reform and other controversial bills, over which the ruling and opposition parties clashed in the past session. The legislature will also hold a confirmation hearing for those who have been named as new Cabinet members.
``During the two-hour meeting, President Lee and the GNP leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including the opposition to a media reform bill and the planned confirmation hearing and economic difficulties facing firms and households. It was productive,'' a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said.
Lee proposed the meeting to discuss ways to strengthen communication between the presidential office and the governing party over the administration's reform agenda, the spokesman said.
The meeting was held on former Chairwoman Park's 57th birthday and Lee congratulated her. Park, one of Lee's biggest political rivals, sat next to Lee along with Lee's brother and five-term lawmaker, Lee Sang-deuk.
Lee needs Park's cooperation for the passage of his reform bills and to find a way out of the political deadlock, but Park has indicated that she will oppose the bills if the GNP fails to address opposition parties' views.
After the meeting, Park told reporters, ``It is wrong for the President to push for plans to which most people are opposed. The GNP should have enough internal discussion and debate with opposition parties over the bills.''
Some political observers say President Lee would try to restore his relationship with Park to push the bills through.
``Lee emphasized unity in the ruling camp, but pro-Park lawmakers will follow their own path as long as Lee doesn't change his way of treating them,'' a GNP lawmaker said on condition of anonymity.