Legislators Hint at New Alignments

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Legislators Hint at New Alignments

Some 36 legislators from both major political parties, along with former pro-democracy activists, gathered Thursday at the Seoul Press Center to launch a "Reconciliation Forum."

Analysts said the forum could become a third alternative to the ruling and opposition parties.

Rep. Chyung Dai-chul, a member of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, and Rep. Kim Deog-ryong of the opposition Grand National Party were the featured speakers at the ceremony. Both criticized leaders of their respective parties as they pledged to make it possible for legislators to vote their minds.

"Currently, legislators with independent voices face ostracism, and some are even expelled from their parties," Mr. Chyung said.

Mr. Kim said his party is attacking the current administration in the National Assembly "thinking that if it makes the administration out to be a failure it will win the presidency back."

Professor Yang Kun of Hanyang University called on the lawmakers to fight to gain their autonomy. He said, "Both the Kim Young-sam and the Kim Dae-jung administrations have shown that the 'government of the people' is merely imitating the former authoritarian regimes."



by Kim Jong-hyuk

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