Rival camps should work together to revive economy
The first policy consultation meeting between President Moon Jae-in and the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on Monday bodes well for much-needed suprapartisan cooperation in various pending issues. First of all, they agreed to work together to approve the government's budget proposal for next year and pass bills designed to improve the people's livelihoods.
The meeting came after Moon and the floor leaders of the five political parties reached an agreement in August to hold consultative meetings on a quarterly basis. It was, in fact, long overdue because Moon has dragged his feet in making good on his campaign pledge to govern in collaboration with opposition parties.
The participants included Hong Young-pyo of the governing Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Kim Sung-tae of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Kim Kwan-young of the Bareunmirae Party, Chang Byoung-wan of the Party for Democracy and Peace and Youn So-ha of the Justice Party.
The get-together is belated but welcome as the President has now set "cooperative politics" in motion. Moon has so far come under criticism for unilaterally pushing major policies such as inter-Korean detente and his drive for inclusive growth. We hope he will deflect such criticism by reaching out to minority parties and seeking their cooperation in handling state affairs.
It is meaningful to see such a consultation take place, especially when suprapartisan cooperation is badly required to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea and establish peace on the peninsula. Needless to say, collaboration is pivotal to enhancing the living standards of the people, particularly the poor, amid the deepening economic slump and the declining number of new jobs.
Of course, it is difficult to expect a significant breakthrough in the soured relationship between the Moon administration and the opposition bloc. Their ties have been marred by partisan confrontation and political bickering. On one hand, the liberal government and the ruling DPK have turned a deaf ear to the opposition parties' policy proposals and their criticism of President Moon's unilateral decision-making process.
On the other hand, the opposition camp, mainly the conservative LKP, has been against almost all of Moon's policies for the sake of opposition. The LKP has even tried to put the brakes on Moon's summitry with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his push for inter-Korean economic cooperation.
Now the government and the opposition parties should make sincere efforts to implement their agreement to approve the record-high 470.5 trillion won ($412.4 billion) budget. They also need to take swift action to pass pending bills aimed at helping small enterprises and the self-employed, who are suffering difficulties due to the steep increase in the minimum wage and the shortened workweek.
Most of all, both sides must step up cooperation in reinvigorating the economy by promoting deregulation and stimulating innovation. It is also important to ensure suprapartisan collaboration in speeding up the North's denuclearization and create a lasting peace regime on the peninsula. To that end, the Moon government and the governing party should form a partnership with the opposition.
The first policy consultation meeting between President Moon Jae-in and the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties on Monday bodes well for much-needed suprapartisan cooperation in various pending issues. First of all, they agreed to work together to approve the government's budget proposal for next year and pass bills designed to improve the people's livelihoods.
The meeting came after Moon and the floor leaders of the five political parties reached an agreement in August to hold consultative meetings on a quarterly basis. It was, in fact, long overdue because Moon has dragged his feet in making good on his campaign pledge to govern in collaboration with opposition parties.
The participants included Hong Young-pyo of the governing Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Kim Sung-tae of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Kim Kwan-young of the Bareunmirae Party, Chang Byoung-wan of the Party for Democracy and Peace and Youn So-ha of the Justice Party.
The get-together is belated but welcome as the President has now set "cooperative politics" in motion. Moon has so far come under criticism for unilaterally pushing major policies such as inter-Korean detente and his drive for inclusive growth. We hope he will deflect such criticism by reaching out to minority parties and seeking their cooperation in handling state affairs.
It is meaningful to see such a consultation take place, especially when suprapartisan cooperation is badly required to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea and establish peace on the peninsula. Needless to say, collaboration is pivotal to enhancing the living standards of the people, particularly the poor, amid the deepening economic slump and the declining number of new jobs.
Of course, it is difficult to expect a significant breakthrough in the soured relationship between the Moon administration and the opposition bloc. Their ties have been marred by partisan confrontation and political bickering. On one hand, the liberal government and the ruling DPK have turned a deaf ear to the opposition parties' policy proposals and their criticism of President Moon's unilateral decision-making process.
On the other hand, the opposition camp, mainly the conservative LKP, has been against almost all of Moon's policies for the sake of opposition. The LKP has even tried to put the brakes on Moon's summitry with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his push for inter-Korean economic cooperation.
Now the government and the opposition parties should make sincere efforts to implement their agreement to approve the record-high 470.5 trillion won ($412.4 billion) budget. They also need to take swift action to pass pending bills aimed at helping small enterprises and the self-employed, who are suffering difficulties due to the steep increase in the minimum wage and the shortened workweek.
Most of all, both sides must step up cooperation in reinvigorating the economy by promoting deregulation and stimulating innovation. It is also important to ensure suprapartisan collaboration in speeding up the North's denuclearization and create a lasting peace regime on the peninsula. To that end, the Moon government and the governing party should form a partnership with the opposition.
