SKorean opposition ordered to end occupation of parliament
Agence France-Presse | 29 December 2008
SKorean opposition ordered to end occupation of parliament
SEOUL (AFP) - The head of South Korea’s parliament ordered opposition legislators Monday to end their sit-in by midnight so major bills can be passed, warning them not to force him to take "extreme measures."
However the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) rejected the demand from Speaker Kim Hyong-O, setting the stage for more battles inside the assembly.
"The year must not pass without settling bills which will relieve the burden on the public," Kim told a press conference, saying a full session would be held on Wednesday to pass the legislation.
"I also ask the opposition party to empty the main chamber by midnight. Do not force me to take extreme measures."
Clashes involving sledgehammers and fire extinguishers broke out on December 18 when the conservative ruling Grand National Party (GNP) began procedures to ratify a free trade agreement with the United States.
Last Friday, opposition lawmakers barricaded themselves inside the main parliamentary chamber to thwart approval of the free trade agreement and other legislation.
"We are deeply ashamed at the Speaker for siding with the government and the ruling party. He has declared war on the opposition," DP spokesman Cho Jeong-Sik said in a statement, refusing to quit the chamber.
The GNP had urged the Speaker to use his authority to set up a final vote. It has 172 seats in the 299-member legislature compared to 83 for the DP.
The ruling party insists that the free trade pact, signed by Seoul and Washington last year but awaiting ratification by both legislatures, should be approved before the end of this year.
It sees the pact as necessary to stimulate the slowing economy and believes that approval by Seoul will encourage the US Congress to move faster.
The opposition says South Korea should not ratify it until the US Congress also moves to do so.
Business groups want early ratification, but Korean farmers are demanding more measures to protect them against cheaper imports.
For the United States, the deal with South Korea would be its biggest since the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.
Some estimates say it could boost two-way trade, worth 78.4 billion dollars last year, by up to 20 billion dollars in coming years.
Other controversial bills which the ruling party wants approved this year include a measure to allow large businesses and big newspapers to acquire a stake in local broadcasters.
The rival parties are also wrangling over planned tax cuts and looser regulations on industrial conglomerates’ ownership of banks.
The DP also said a bill to increase penalties for libel on the Internet is aimed at gagging web users critical of the conservative government.
