By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Lately, President Lee Myung-bak has squeezed meetings and dinners with ruling party lawmakers into his busy schedule, spurring speculation over whether his long-held negative perception about politicians is changing.
Political analysts say Lee may have learned the lesson last year that he would never be able to move his reform agenda without full support from the legislature.
This may have influenced him to hold more meetings with lawmakers in an effort to rebuild his troubled relationship with the National Assembly.
Lee's increased contact with parliamentary leaders came amid media reports that he considered appointing three or four sitting governing Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers as ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle that is to be made this week.
One of the new Cabinet members will be the ``political affairs secretary,'' who is to liaise between President Lee and the National Assembly.
The President had quality time with several GNP lawmakers, including floor leader Ahn Sang-soo, on Thursday evening over dinner.
Lee praised their roles in the National Assembly during the June session in which the GNP pushed for (actually railroaded) the passage of the contentious media bills amid brawling.
He encouraged the ruling party legislators to work harder in the upcoming September session so as to pass several bills necessary to revitalize the economy.
The President is scheduled to have dinner with female GNP lawmakers next week and will set up a meeting with floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, following advice from Rep. Ahn during the meeting.
``I felt that Lee wanted and probably planned to have more meetings with lawmakers in an effort to build a good working relationship with the National Assembly,'' Ahn said after the dinner.
Since taking office last February, Lee has been under attack for his lukewarm attitude in communicating with the parliamentary leaders on major agendas.
The business leader-turned-President had publicly expressed negative views regarding the way the parliamentary system works in Korea on several occasions.
Lee has several reasons he became distrustful of the National Assembly. He was forced to quit his Assembly seat. As the CEO of the Hyundai Group, he might have experienced many ``dirty requests'' from the lawmakers.
He labeled the legislature as a stumbling block to his reform initiatives.
Some political analysts said Lee's distrust of politicians explains why there were so few lawmakers-turned-Cabinet ministers in the government after Lee took office last February.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, said the ruling GNP is an agent carrying out chores and Lee has made the major decisions, leaving no discretion for the ruling party.
They complained the top-down decision-making in the ruling camp has led to the opposition finding little room for negotiations on major agendas.
Recently, Lee showed signs of changing his policy of keeping distance from politicians as he sits down more often with them and sets up dinner schedules with GNP lawmakers.
Political analyst Lee Hyun-chool said that Lee's increased contact with lawmakers indicates that he is trying to build a working relationship with the parliament.
``Lee used to go ahead with his picks in Cabinet reshuffles no matter what others said, and this invited a backlash. But this time he appears to be trying to embrace lawmakers' opinions on his choice, '' the National Assembly Research Service analyst told The Korea Times.
The President learned in the past one-and-half years in the top job that support from the legislature is critical in pushing for reform agendas, and he would consider appointing some of them as Cabinet ministers if that is what it takes to have better relations with the parliament, the expert said.