Busy week ahead as Sejong project remains hot potato
Published: 02 Nov. 2009, 00:52
Now that the Oct. 28 by-elections are over, the Sejong City relocation project has engaged not only opposing political parties but factions within the Grand National Party, itself.
Key Blue House officials said President Lee Myung-bak is set to have a breakfast meeting with GNP leader Chung Mong-joon at the Blue House today to discuss the situation. And Prime Minister Chung Un-chan is scheduled to report to the president on a revised plan for the long-pending relocation project the following day.
Chung Sye-kyun, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, held a press conference Saturday to say that the party will “never approve of the government’s nullification of the Sejong project just because we have a new administration. Trying to scrap the plan by hiring a prime minister who is from Chungcheong is cowardly and cunning.”
The prime minister is also expected to face a series of attacks from DP lawmakers over the Sejong issue at the parliamentary question-and-answer session from Nov. 5 through Nov. 11.
In the meantime, Park Geun-hye, former leader of then-main opposition GNP, on Saturday criticized the prime minister’s outspoken opinions on revising the relocation plan. That plan was initiated by the former Roh Moo-hyun administration. She disputed Chung’s stance of modifying the original plan by saying that he “doesn’t understand how important it is that a promise to the nation is kept under a parliamentary democratic system.” The remarks came while she was visiting a Buddhist event in Busan.
“I received a message from the Prime Minister’s Office two days ago that [Chung] wanted to talk to me on the phone but I haven’t heard back,” she said. “[Agreement] should be gained from Chungcheong provincial residents, not me.” Prime Minister Chung told the press last Thursday that the Sejong project “is an immense national affair, before we call it a matter of political confidence. I have hope that she will agree with me if I tell her my opinion in person.”
The Lee administration found itself with a dilemma over the Sejong project late last month as Park insisted the project must go ahead as planned with no revisions. As head of then-main opposition party, Park passed the relocation bill with the Roh administration in 2005. She has consistently claimed she cannot go against the “promise with the Korean people.” Her key aides say she still believes Sejong will help resolve overpopulation in the Seoul Metropolitan area and promote balanced local development.
Some political observers say that should Park remain a staunch supporter of the Sejong plan, it may be difficult to revise the law since some 60 lawmakers inside the 169-seat GNP are close followers of their former leader.
The Blue House has been keeping quiet about Parks’ comments. But one of Lee’s aides said Park has opted for a strategy that is similar to the one she showed in the nationwide demonstration against the resumption of U.S. beef imports last year and in the passage of media-related bills. “Her move - coming up with opposing remarks against the government through media rather than compromising within the party - is reminiscent of what opposition party leaders do,” he said.
By Seo Ji-eun, Jung Hyo-sik [[email protected]]
Key Blue House officials said President Lee Myung-bak is set to have a breakfast meeting with GNP leader Chung Mong-joon at the Blue House today to discuss the situation. And Prime Minister Chung Un-chan is scheduled to report to the president on a revised plan for the long-pending relocation project the following day.
Chung Sye-kyun, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, held a press conference Saturday to say that the party will “never approve of the government’s nullification of the Sejong project just because we have a new administration. Trying to scrap the plan by hiring a prime minister who is from Chungcheong is cowardly and cunning.”
The prime minister is also expected to face a series of attacks from DP lawmakers over the Sejong issue at the parliamentary question-and-answer session from Nov. 5 through Nov. 11.
In the meantime, Park Geun-hye, former leader of then-main opposition GNP, on Saturday criticized the prime minister’s outspoken opinions on revising the relocation plan. That plan was initiated by the former Roh Moo-hyun administration. She disputed Chung’s stance of modifying the original plan by saying that he “doesn’t understand how important it is that a promise to the nation is kept under a parliamentary democratic system.” The remarks came while she was visiting a Buddhist event in Busan.
“I received a message from the Prime Minister’s Office two days ago that [Chung] wanted to talk to me on the phone but I haven’t heard back,” she said. “[Agreement] should be gained from Chungcheong provincial residents, not me.” Prime Minister Chung told the press last Thursday that the Sejong project “is an immense national affair, before we call it a matter of political confidence. I have hope that she will agree with me if I tell her my opinion in person.”
The Lee administration found itself with a dilemma over the Sejong project late last month as Park insisted the project must go ahead as planned with no revisions. As head of then-main opposition party, Park passed the relocation bill with the Roh administration in 2005. She has consistently claimed she cannot go against the “promise with the Korean people.” Her key aides say she still believes Sejong will help resolve overpopulation in the Seoul Metropolitan area and promote balanced local development.
Some political observers say that should Park remain a staunch supporter of the Sejong plan, it may be difficult to revise the law since some 60 lawmakers inside the 169-seat GNP are close followers of their former leader.
The Blue House has been keeping quiet about Parks’ comments. But one of Lee’s aides said Park has opted for a strategy that is similar to the one she showed in the nationwide demonstration against the resumption of U.S. beef imports last year and in the passage of media-related bills. “Her move - coming up with opposing remarks against the government through media rather than compromising within the party - is reminiscent of what opposition party leaders do,” he said.
By Seo Ji-eun, Jung Hyo-sik [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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