Parties Bickering Over Economy

The ruling and opposition parties have been arguing over the possibility of another economic crisis as well as illegal election practices. These reports of political discord came on April 6, just one week before the April 13 general election.
At a press conference Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) representative Suh Young-hoon claimed that if the Grand National Party (GNP) becomes the ruling party, foreigners will reduce their investments in Korea, causing another crisis in the Korean economy. Critical signs pointing toward economic collapse include the destabilization of national credit and plummeting stock prices. The ruling party's chief campaigner Rhee In-je is maintaining that the Korean economy could soon collapse.
In response to these concerns, the GNP and the United Liberal Democrats (ULD) has charged that the current ruling party has brought about the economic crisis.
GNP vice president Park Keun-hye and GNP campaign manager Suh Chung-won stated that President Kim Dae-jung has given unfair support to the ruling party. GNP head Lee Hoi-chang asserted that President Kim is totally responsible for unfair election practises.
One MDP vice-spokesman claimed that his party received information revealing that the GNP would secretly provide $80,000 to $170,000 to 72 election districts starting April 7. He also stated that the money seems to include secret funds raised from 'selling recommendations' to candidates.
One ULD vice-spokesman blamed both the ruling party and the GNP for illegal and unfair campaign actions, and his party has published a book listing those guilty of corrupt election practises.

by Chun Young-gee