DP leader offers meeting with President Park
Rep. Kim Han-gil, left, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, speaks at the party’s outdoor gathering at Seoul Plaza, Sunday. He urged President Park Geun-hye to respond to the public’s anger over the National Intelligence Service accused of political manipulation. / Yonhap
By Jun Ji-hye
Kim Han-gil, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), urged President Park Geun-hye, Sunday, to meet with him to break the political deadlock surrounding the state spy agency’s alleged intervention in the 2012 presidential election.
“President Park is the only person who is able to resolve the current political situation that has reached a critical stage,” said Kim. “I urge her to immediately respond to my suggestion as I am ready to meet her anytime, anywhere.”
The DP took to the streets Thursday to protest against the ruling Saenuri Party for allegedly blocking a National Assembly investigation into the National Intelligence Service’s (NIS) role in the election.
To rally support from citizens, the DP held a mass rally and candlelit protests, Saturday, at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul participated in by 112 lawmakers and about 15,000 members from civic groups.
“The public expressed their anger in the streets. President Park should respond to this,” said Kim, adding that Park’s answer will be the only way to prevent the “nation’s democracy from collapsing.”
The DP also called on the President to dismiss the current NIS head Nam Jae-joon and to make a public apology.
Cheong Wa Dae showed no response, sticking to Park’s initial stance that confrontational situations between rival parties regarding the NIS incident need to be resolved in the National Assembly.
On an equal footing, Min Hyun-joo, a ruling party spokeswoman, said: “The whole issue will have to be solved through parties’ negotiation by holding a chairman’s meeting for example.”
The rival parties have failed to narrow their differences over who should give testimony to Assembly hearings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Party floor and vice-floor leaders, and vice chairmen of the National Assembly Special Committee in charge of the NIS investigation met Sunday in an effort to come to an agreement.
They agreed to receive a report from the NIS today as planned, but failed to draw up a final list of witnesses for the hearings.
Given that individuals should be notified of their attendance at least a week in advance, this has raised the possibility that the hearings will be postponed.
To hold hearings before the end of the committee’s probe on Aug. 15, the parties must reach an agreement on witnesses early this week.
The DP is demanding the parties agree in advance to send a final committee summons to former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and ex-Seoul police chief Kim Yong-pan to make them appear at the hearings. The ruling party has refused to do this, claiming the summons can only be sent if the two fail to attend the Assembly session without reasonable cause.
The parties can then file a complaint with the prosecution, which if it takes the case and secures a conviction, could see Won and Kim face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won ($8,900).
The DP also wants to question Saenuri Party lawmaker Kim Moo-sung and Ambassador to China Kwon Young-se as witnesses over allegations that they acquired the minutes of a 2007 inter-Korean summit from the NIS last December, well before its head Nam Jae-joon declassified the confidential material in June. The ruling party said questioning a sitting lawmaker was impossible.
“The Saenuri Party and Cheong Wa Dae have no choice, but to accept what the public wants. Looking on with folded arms will only aggravate the public’s anger,” said DP floor leader Jun Byung-hun.
Ruling party floor leader Choi kyung-hwan argued: “The DP should stop its outside struggle that will only disrupt the parliamentary probe. It should return to the National Assembly, as looking after the people’s livelihood is the essential job of lawmakers.”