Assembly Wants Sunshine Role

Lee Hoi-chang, head of the main opposition Grand National Party, agreed with Kim Jong-pil of the United Liberal Democrats that future aid to North Korea should be approved by the National Assembly. The two met Tuesday.

The five-point agreement, coming just as the two Koreas agreed to a third round of reunions of separated families, could mean substantial new hurdles in the Assembly for the "sunshine" policies of President Kim Dae-jung toward the North.

The agreement included a joint call for "government suppression of the press through its tax inquiry to come to an immediate end."

"The parties' three main officials will form a policy council that will meet regularly to maintain close consultation between the parties," Mr. Lee and Mr. Kim said. While the agreement lays the groundwork for a coalition between the two parties, it is for now strictly an alliance on selected issues, they added.

The governing coalition between the United Liberal Democrats and President Kim's Millennium Democratic Party ended Sept. 4 after a no-confidence vote against a cabinet minister.

An outright coalition would be unlikely, as it would relegate Mr. Kim, who has expressed his own presidential aspirations, to a supporting role. If Mr. Kim decided to play the role of kingmaker, however, a tighter alliance might help Mr. Lee win votes in the Chungchong provinces, Mr. Kim's home region, in next year's presidential election. The region could prove to be the key to the election as Rhee In-je, who is also a native of the Chungchong provinces, positions himself as a strong contender for the ruling party's nomination.

The party heads also agreed to put aside partisan interests to deal with the impact of the terrorist attacks on the United States and to revive the moribund economy.

A Blue House official, who requested anonymity, said, "The president will respond, including using his veto if necessary, should the two parties use their numerical advantage on the floor."

The two parties control a combined 146 seats in the 273-seat National Assembly; 131 for the Grand National Party and 15 for the United Liberal Democrats.

by Chun Young-gi