The extraordinary session of the National Assembly starting Tuesday is a very important one. Last year the anti-parliamentary confrontation in the Assembly led to a useless waste of time in which very little legislation got voted on, and the accumulated pile of work to do got passed on to the new extraordinary session. The current session must not be a repeat of the same old practices; it must unveil a new era and give the people hope.
The leadership of the ruling and opposition parties are saying they will work to revive the economy as it operates at the level of the common citizen and avoid political factionalism, and they say so while emphasizing the need for the "politics of coexistence." A format for consultation between the ruling and opposition parties and the government has been set in motion, so that's reason for hope. The prospects are by no means bright, however, especially if you consider how the parties are approaching this extraordinary session having made their own calculated maneuverings and since they each bring their own complicated internal issues into the situation. That is why both need to be true to the principles of parliamentarianism and avoid being called an obstacle to the common people's economy and reform by engaging in "big politics," the kind that goes beyond party advantage and strategizing.
The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) suggests the Assembly form a separate format to take the time to discuss the National Security Law (NSL), the Private School Law, and the legislation calling for inquiries into incidents in recent history, but that proposal is cause for worry. The right way to go about things would be to have each piece of legislation go to the respective Assembly committee, and furthermore both parties had already agreed to resolve those bills in the current session. Unless the GNP intends to send reform legislation back to square one or just block the bills completely, it must not oppose their introduction to their respective committees. It also should not link legislation relating to the people's welfare with the legislation that is contentious, particularly while saying it wants to do something about the economy.
The ruling Uri Party was unable to accomplish much with its majority in the Assembly largely because it went against its own principles. The reform bills are absolutely necessary in creating a just and transparent society, and as such they must be delayed no further. Uri should engage in serious discussion with the GNP, but then vote according to the principle of majority rules and conclude the matter if points of agreement are no found.
Reform and the people's welfare do not run counter to each other. They are tasks that much be achieved simultaneously. The people's welfare must not be invoked as reason for a reversal of progress on reform. Uri needs to correct its course if that's the kind of so-called "pragmatism" it is talking about.
The Hankyoreh, 1 February 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Hoping for a Better Nat'l Assembly Session |
