National Assembly Unlikely to Resume Soon

The 215th regular session of the National Assembly convened on September 1 for a period of 100 days.

While both the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) attended the opening ceremony, they failed to agree on the legislative calendar because of their ongoing conflict. Normal operations of the National Assembly, consequently, are not likely to resume before the September 12 Chusok holiday.

"Unless the MDP apologizes for and nullifies the railroaded bill that changed the number of seats needed for a negotiation bloc," said GNP president Lee Hoi-chang, "and unless President Kim apologizes for the obstructed campaign spending investigations, we will not agree to a legislative calendar."

MDP spokesman Park Byung-seok rebutted, "The GNP's action runs counter to the will of the people and the spirit of the law."

Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties argued over the Hanvit Bank lending scandal, aggravating already strained relations.

by Lee Jung-min