Opposition parties say no to Chung
Published: 28 Sep. 2009, 00:56
Chung Un-chan
DP leader Chung Sye-kyun and LFP leader Lee Hoi-chang said Chung should step down and the president should withdraw the nomination.
“There are serious problems not only with Chung’s military service exemption but also with the way he accumulated property,” said the DP leader. “We have a firm belief that Prime Minister-designate Chung should not take that post for this country.”
Lee said that Chung Un-chan reversed his critical views toward the four river restoration project since he was appointed as the prime minister-nominee. He said that is reason enough to disqualify him from the post.
Chung Sye-kyun also said that the original plan for Sejong City must not be revised.
“Since lawmakers from the Chungcheong provinces are strongly against Chung Un-chan’s appointment, a physical clash is inevitable if the ruling Grand National Party pushes forward with the vote unilaterally,” said one opposition party lawmaker on condition of anonymity.
To win the approval, Chung Un-chan needs a majority of votes from a session attended by at least half of the assembly’s 290 members. The GNP commands 167 seats in the assembly while opposition parties hold 109 seats. There are five lawmakers from Pro-Park United, a party name referring to the GNP’s Park Geun-hye, and 14 independent lawmakers.
In a separate issue, the DP told prosecutors that Chung Un-chan had committed perjury. The party alleged that records of Chung’s income and expenditure in 2008 do not match his explanations during confirmation hearings and documents he handed in on Friday.
Meanwhile, Chung Un-chan said in a phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, the JoongAng Daily’s sister paper, that he will fully accept any result of the confirmation vote.
He also said that he tried to live an ethical life but made a mistake because he did not know the specifics of a certain law.
By Kim Jung-ha, Im Jang-hyuk [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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