BMP to submit request to resume Assembly session

Rep. Na Kyung-won, center, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly, Sunday. Yonhap

By Park Ji-won

The minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP) will submit a request to the National Assembly today to convene an extraordinary session to normalize operations, its floor leader said Sunday.

Rep. Oh Shin-hwan told reporters that “the BMP will take action to normalize the National Assembly during its general meeting at 2 p.m.”

His remarks came amid a two-month hiatus in parliamentary sessions due to a boycott by the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).

Under the law, an extraordinary session must start on the first day of February, April or June, or Aug. 16, but political parties with negotiating bloc status have to agree on a detailed schedule. If more than a quarter of all lawmakers (75) agree, they could convene an extraordinary session, implying that the BMP with 28 seats could get Assembly activities resumed by teaming up with lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Justice Party and Party for Democracy and Peace, which favor normalizing the Assembly without the LKP.

The LKP has been reiterating its call for the DPK to hold an Assembly hearing to evaluate the government's economic policies and to summon presidential officials for questioning; trying to use this as leverage to resume parliamentary activities. However, the DPK has remained against this.

Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the LKP said “If the government and DPK are confident about their economic policies, let's hold a hearing on the economy first and discuss the passing of the extra budget after that.”

Claiming that the government's supplementary budget is a populist policy and not designed to boost the country's economy, she added, “We have made our last proposal and are waiting for a response from Rep. Lee In-young, floor leader of the DPK.”

The LKP has been refusing to join any Assembly activities, blaming the other parties' fast-tracking of bills on electoral and political reform. The government has submitted a 6.7 trillion-won ($5.6 billion) extra budget bill but it has failed to pass due to the LKP's actions.

The DPK, meanwhile, criticized the LKP for repeating “political disputes” rather than returning to the Assembly.

Citing the possible economic risks due to the trade conflict between China and the U.S., and the slowing global economy, Rep. Lee Jae-jung, a DPK spokeswoman, said in a statement Sunday: “The LKP's move to oppose the passage of the supplementary bill is another source of crisis for the country's economy.”

Lee also stressed that the passing of the extra budget was recommended by the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and vital for bolstering the country's economy.

Rep. Youn So-ha, floor leader of the minor Party for Democracy and Peace, criticized the LKP for asking for the hearing as leverage to resume the National Assembly, stating: “The LKP is simply tarnishing the reputation of the government and ruling party by taking advantage of the countries' economic difficulties.”