Political Fights Trump Reform, Groups Say

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Political Fights Trump Reform, Groups Say

Lawmakers are more diligent in their research and probing of government workings, but most still try to push their political agendas during annual parliamentary hearings, a coalition of civic groups said Thursday.

Forty groups, including the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice and the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, announced their conclusions after monitoring the 20-day parliamentary hearings which concluded Tuesday. "The lawmakers on the whole were more industrious, but the old practice of using the parliamentary hearings for political purposes without the legislators presenting a policy alternative persists," the coalition said. The lawmakers were rated on their knowledge of issues, interest in reform and related factors.

Among the coalition's favored lawmakers were Won Hee-ryong, Kim Jung-sook and Lee Hahn-koo of the opposition Grand National Party. The best among the ruling party included Im Jong-seok, Choo Mi-ae and Kim Min-seok.

Lee One-ku of the United Liberal Democrats was the only minor party lawmaker given kudos.

Lawmakers rated among the worst by the group included leaders of all three significant political parties - Chung Chang-hwa, the opposition party's floor leader, Chung Kyun-whan, the ruling party's floor leader, and Kim Jong-pil, president of the United Liberal Democrats.

by Kim Seung-hyun

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