Ruling party divided over SK-US free trade pact
Hankyoreh, Seoul
Ruling party divided over S.K.-U.S. free trade pact
Uri Party calls dissenters ’irresponsible’
10 September 2006
The ruling Uri Party is divided over the recent decision by some of its National Assembly members to file charges that call the government’s pursuit of a free trade agreement with the United States "one sided."
The petition was filed with the Constitutional Court on September 7.
Uri Party leadership issued an official warning to members who have signed or intend to sign the petition, and on Friday it strongly criticized them for "irresponsible behavior."
Some members who signed the document are expressing frustration with the party, but there are signs that some are ready to change their positions and withdraw their support for the Constitutional Court case.
"We sternly warn party members who are participating in this," said party chairman Kim Geun-tae.
"It is a serious matter when members of the ruling party file a case against the government," he said. "It is unfortunate and inappropriate that they failed to even consult party leadership."
Uri floor leader Kim Han-kil noted that at a party workshop last week, everyone seemed in the mindset that they would "live if we come together and die if we fall apart."
"If this continues we won’t have anything left," said the floor leader. "We ask that these Assembly members think about how they should behave in the future."
Uri members who have signed the constitutional petition expressed anger at the official warning.
"We didn’t do this in secret, and leadership knew about this," said Im Jong-in. "We’re doing this because we’re concerned about the future of the Korean nation, so it is hard to understand how leadership could issue us an official warning without hearing what we have to say."
"The party’s leadership never even decided on an official position [regarding the proposed free trade agreement], so I’ve no idea what they’re warning us about," said Kang Chang-il.
"We had no choice but to make our views clear," said one Uri legislator, who asked not to be identified.
"The constitutional petition is only about having the Constitutional Court determine what the National Assembly’s authority is in this instance," said another Uri member, also asking not to be named. "It’s not about being anti-Roh or anti-FTA."
The petition should not be "over interpreted," he said.
Some signers of the document, however, are changing their positions, saying they were not fully aware of what the proposed free trade pact aims to achieve. A few have reportedly telephoned floor leader Kim Han-kil and told him they thought signing the document was only about calling on the executive branch to be prudent in FTA negotiations with the US.
"I signed it because I thought it was a call [for the executive branch] to disclose the details of the potential agreement," said Lee Kyung-sook. "What can I do about that now?"
