ULD's Future Power in Congress

These days, United Liberal Democrats(ULD) whip Oh Jang-seop can be often heard saying that there must be better ways to waste his time that be in politics.

With the majority Grand National Party(GNP) and the leading opposition party, the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) still at loggerheads over making changes to National Assembly laws, ULD members of congress are getting fed up with the snail-like pace of discussion. What is at the heart of the matter is porposed changes to congressional law on what numbers constitute official 'recognition' i.e. the number required of one party to warrant funding and support from congressional coffers. With 20 being the minimum required to win funding, the ULD falls short of this and may find itself lacking in money against the larger, and thus richer, GNP and MDP.

ULD discontent is even more aggravated by not only the GNP wish to keep the status quo but also the MDP letting slip at a metting on the the 23rd of June that they also could not propose changes to congressioanl laws that would continue to tie up congress in interminable debate just to "curry favor with the ULD". The GNP have weak majority, and if the MDP were to form a coalition with the ULD, the two combined would outnumber the GNP and thus have power in both the presidential office and congress.

ULD spokesperson Kim Hak-won threatened that if changes to the National Assembly laws were not carried out, the ULD situation would become "difficult" forcing them to perhaps break off their partnership with the MDP.

However, oddly enough, when asked for comment, Kim's own ULD members that this was a 'bluff' with final approval vote for Lee Han-dong as prime minister about to be put to the congressional floor and the ULD obivous need for future MDP support.

The ULD is also complaining about the limited nature of the group which was charged with finding the next prime minister, further pushing the ULD out of into the margins of congress.

With the ULD's independence facing further erosion of its influence in congress, some within the party itself are even suggesting that they merge with the MDP or with other parties like the Democratic People's Party before the ULD sinks below the waves being made by the GNP and the MDP.

by Kim Jung-ha