Young ruling lawmakers oppose arbitrary proceeding for Korea-U.S. FTA bill
Yonhap News, Seoul
Young ruling lawmakers oppose arbitrary proceeding for Korea-U.S. FTA bill
16 December 2010
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) — A group of 23 young lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) on Thursday declared they will boycott the parliamentary vote if the party’s leadership attempts to railroad a Korea-U.S. free trade bill, saying they are opposed to any arbitrary legislation by a single party.
The GNP lawmakers said they regret participating in the GNP’s unilateral passage of the government’s budget bill for next year in a violent Dec. 8 parliamentary vote held in the absence of opposition legislators.
Their abrupt declaration came as some GNP leaders have indicated an intention to ram the Korea-U.S. free trade bill through the National Assembly early next year the same way the budget bill was approved.
In a statement, the 23 GNP lawmakers, mostly first-term representatives, pledged not to cooperate with the party leadership’s attempt to ram bills through parliament any longer after the political circle came under criticism for replaying the perennial parliamentary mayhem last week over the budget bill.
"We will no longer take part in any more legislative proceedings based on physical forces or will give up our legislative posts," the young lawmakers said in the statement, vowing not to run for the next parliamentary election if they fail to keep the promise.
In the statement titled "Self-reflection and Resolution," the lawmakers claimed they are partly responsible for chaotic physical fights between lawmakers ensued until just minutes before the floor voting session because they voted in support.
"We also failed to deliberate and decide on the budget in the people’s shoes and to fulfill the role of legislature in the course of passing the bill," the statement said.
The lawmakers then vowed all reform efforts to "normalize the proceedings at the National Assembly" in the future.
When asked by reporters what they will do if the GNP again tries to use its majority status to unilaterally pass a motion to ratify the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement, Hong Jung-wook, one of the first-term lawmakers who took part in the statement, answered that he will boycott the voting should that situation arise.
"I agree with the South Korea-U.S. FTA, but the government must make efforts to persuade (opposition parties). I will not take part in any passage of bills using physical forces," he said.
Nam Kyung-pil, a four-term lawmaker from the neutral faction of the party, agreed and said the party cannot fill the quorum required for a vote to pass a bill without the 23 lawmakers.
"There is no more unilateral passage of a bill in the 18th-term Assembly," Nam declared.
The GNP currently holds 171 seats in the 298-member unicameral parliament.
