Both Parties Scurry to Win Over Voter Sentiment in Chusok Holiday

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) are taking the current partisan standoff in government back to their respective constituencies for the holiday of Chusok, contending for public sentiment which they view as critical to gaining the upper hand.

Both parties have asked their members to promote the party stance when they return to their respective constituencies.

Secretary-General Kim Ok-doo of the MDP asked its members to tell voters in their electoral districts that the "GNP's outdoor rallies are damaging public welfare."

GNP floor leader Chung Chang-hwa asked GNP representatives to raise the issue of ranking MDP officials' alleged involvement in a series of recent illegal loan and alleged election-spending scam scandals.

The National Assembly has remained in paralysis due to a partisan rift over the string of scandals, which allege underreporting by high-ranking MDP officials of election spending for the April 13 general elections and involvement of top government officials in the illegal loan scandal at Hanvit Bank.

Meanwhile, the GNP went on with its National Assembly boycott and street rallies, urging the public to "pass judgment" on the government's failure in running state affairs.

For its part, the MDP, with support from independent and United Liberal Democrats representatives, opened the plenary session, approving the appointments of Yun Young-chul as new president of Constitutional Court and Constitutional Court justices Kwon Sung and Kim Hyo-jong.

by Lee Sang-il