Posted on : Dec.9,2005 09:00 KST Modified on : Dec.9,2005 09:00 KST

One had hoped the current session of the National Assembly was going to end peacefully, but that hope was in vain. It looks like the ruling Uri and main opposition Grand National (GNP) parties are going to end up in a physical confrontation. The GNP, taking issue with Uri's unilateral passage of the bill on the August 31 Real Estate Measures in a Finance and Economy subcommittee, has decided to boycott all Assembly activities other than the budget committee. Friday marks the final day of this year's ordinary session, and the situation is such that once again, the people might have go see the Assembly floor turn into a brawl.

We do not wish to blame one side or the other, because when the Assembly is not functioning properly everyone shares responsibility. The GNP, however, has somewhat more responsibility to bear in this case. The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) appears to have it right when it says the GNP "was looking for a reason to cry anyway" because it was unable to score a deal on either the comprehensive real estate tax, the tax reduction bill, the private school law, or the 'independent' private high school bill, and so "is using the vote on the comprehensive real estate tax as a pretext for boycotting everything on the agenda."

The real estate tax legislation was put to a vote and passed by Uri members on a Finance and Economy Committee subcommittee, but the GNP knows quite well that it can still discuss the bill all it likes at the standing committee level or on the main floor. Uri, too, deserves criticism for not exercising the political finesse it should have as the ruling party. It gave the GNP a reason to get upset, because it wasted all sorts of time before quickly passing it in subcommittee at the very last moment.


When politics fails to mediate disputes, social conflict cannot be resolved in a peaceful manner. A society suffers misfortune when its parliament lacks the political capacity to find common ground through dialogue and compromise. It's a sad situation, because it seems Korean politics tends to exacerbate conflict instead of resolving it.

The Hankyoreh, 9 December 2005.

[Translations by Seoul Selection]

related stories
  • 오피니언

multimedia

most viewed articles

hot issue