The ruling Uri Party railroaded six bills through the National Assembly on Tuesday, including several intended to curb real estate speculation, despite virulent attempts to block them by the main opposition Grand National Party. The GNP is refusing to cooperate until its demand to amend a controversial private school reform law is met, but the Millennium Democratic Party and Democratic Labor Party cooperated with the minority ruling party to pass the bills. The Uri Party refuses to yield on the private school law despite President Roh Moo-hyun¡¯s recommendation to accept a GNP compromise amendment.
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Uri Party and Grand National Party lawmakers¡¯ aides scuffle on Tuesday before a National Assembly session where the Uri Party railroaded six reform bills through parliament.
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Vice Assembly Speaker Kim Duk-kyu of the Uri Party chaired the session in the absence of Speaker Kim Won-ki, who was prevented from leaving his office when GNP representatives surrounded it. The vice speaker wrapped up voting in just 25 minutes guarded by Uri Party lawmakers who had barricaded themselves in the speaker¡¯s seat until his arrival. Unruly scenes ran the gamut from verbal abuse to physical scuffles between the adversaries.
A total of 157 lawmakers attended the session -- 141 Uri Party members minus Lee Kye-ahn, who tried for nomination for Seoul mayor, nine DLP members and seven MDP members -- comfortably above the quorum of 149. GNP spokesman Lee Kye-jin said the ruling party colluded with the minor parties to pass the bills and had been ¡°trading bills¡± with the DLP. ¡°The Uri Party is practicing being an opposition party again, too soon and too hard,¡± Lee said. ¡°The public will not trust any word and any administrative act by President Roh ever again.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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