GNP delays charter meeting

The Grand National Party postponed to next month a meeting of its lawmakers to discuss the possibility of amending the constitution to allow a multi-term presidency.

The ruling party’s Supreme Council decided yesterday to hold the discussions from Feb. 8 to Feb. 10, GNP spokeswoman Bae Eun-hee said.

“Foot and mouth disease is still spreading, and many lawmakers are not in the country at the moment,” Bae said, explaining the postponement. “To support the lawmakers’ activities, the general assembly of lawmakers will open at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8, after the Lunar New Year holidays.”

Bae said GNP Chairman Ahn Sang-soo suggested a delay and other leaders unanimously agreed.

GNP floor leader Kim Moo-sung said he wanted as many lawmakers as possible to attend the discussion. “To adopt an official party line, we need two thirds of the lawmakers,” said Kim. “But it’s hard to have the quorum because many lawmakers are out of the country or in their hometowns.”

Rival factions inside the GNP disagreed on the issue earlier this month. While the pro-Lee Myung-bak faction supports the idea of amending the constitution, pro-Park Geun-hye lawmakers have opposed the plan.

In addition to the pro-Park lawmakers, some political heavyweights inside the ruling party as well as young, reformist representatives have shown skepticism about the timing of the discussing a constitutional amendment.

By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]