Another Bumpy National Assembly Session

The 215th regular session of the National Assembly will begin its 100- day run on September 1.

However, it is uncertain whether even the opening ceremony of the National Assembly session will go smoothly or not. With the recent scandals involving the ruling party, including illegal loans made by Hanvit Bank and suspicions of the ruling party's intervention in the investigation into campaign funding for the April 13 general election, there is growing antagonism between the ruling and opposition parties, which started with the unilateral passage of the National Assembly Law revision bill by the ruling party.

Chong Chang-hwa, floor leader of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), said, "We will not join the National Assembly session unless the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) apologizes for the unilateral passage of the National Assembly Law revision bill and annuls the pass of the bill. In addition, the MDP should accept our demand for a parliamentary investigation into the MDP election funds scandal with a special prosecutor for the case."

MDP spokesman Park Byung-seok said, "If the GNP President Lee Hoi-chang really cares for the nation, he should join the National Assembly session to normalize political function and discuss state affairs."

by Ko Jung-ae