Lee Hoi-chang Denounces Prosecution＇s Biased Probes

Lee Hoi-chang, who was recently re-elected as president of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), raised suspicions of biased probes into election irregularities by the prosecution at a meeting of party leaders held on Thursday. He also declared that the GNP would come up with strong countermeasures against the allegedly biased investigations, which signals a continued standoff with the ruling Millenium Democratic Party (MDP).

Despite the GNP＇s repeated opposition, the MDP and its former coalition partner the United Liberal Democrats (ULD) have submitted legislation to reduce the minimum number of parliamentary seats needed by a political party to become a house negotiation group from the current 20 seats to 10 seats. The submission of the bill signed by 136 representatives from the MDP and ULD puts rival political parties on a collision course from the outset of the 16th National Assembly, which is also expected to see clashes over the approval of the appointment of acting Prime Minister Lee Han-dong.

The GNP also released a press statement claiming that ＂a conspiracy to destroy the democratic will of the parliamentary elections has begun,＂ and strongly denounced the ruling party for trying to put the National Assembly under its control by dismantling the current two-party system.

Claiming that biased probes and crackdowns by the prosecution have reached an extreme level, the opposition leader also instructed the GNP＇s special committee investigating election irregularities to come up with countermeasures.

Meanwhile, President Kim Dae-jung telephoned Lee Hoi-chang Thursday morning to congratulate him on his re-election as the GNP leader, and stated that he would cooperate with the main opposition to gain supra-partisan support for handling vital national issues according to the agreement reached by the two leaders during their last meeting.

However, sources close to Lee Hoi-chang said, ＂While there is no change in our principle of striving for collaboration with the ruling party based on dialogue and comprise, we will concentrate our party's power to accomplish our goals as dictated by current issues, including the prosecution＇s biased probes into election irregularities.＂

by Park Seung-hui