The main opposition party’s chief proposed Friday that the ruling party conduct a joint public opinion survey to determine whether to endorse President Park Geun-hye’s new pick for prime minister.
The proposal by Moon Jae-in, chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, comes one day after his party and the ruling Saenuri Party agreed to postpone Thursday’s plenary session to Monday in order to delay a vote on prime minister nominee Lee Wan-koo.
The opposition party refused to endorse the nominee over allegations he tried to stop the press from carrying negative reports about him, speculated in real estate and lied in order to avoid active military service, among other ethical lapses.
“(Lee) not only has more grounds for disqualification than previous nominees for prime minister, but he also lacks the class befitting a prime minister,” Moon said during a party meeting. “The plenary session was postponed to the 16th in order to give the nominee time to reach a decision, and I hope he finds a way to cause less trouble to the president.”
Lee, the preceding floor leader of the ruling party, has come under growing pressure from the opposition party to step down.
“If (the ruling party) regards our call as an opposition party’s political offensive, I propose to Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling party that we jointly commission a public opinion survey from a polling agency that is neutral and has the public’s trust,” Moon said. Cheong Wa Dae is the name of South Korea’s presidential office.
“Our party is ready to accept the results (of the survey),” he added.
The ruling party immediately lashed out at the opposition party.
“It is truly regrettable that the opposition party’s leader backtracked on his words in a day,” Yoo Seong-min, the ruling party’s floor leader, said in a party meeting. “The Saenuri Party made a big concession, there are no procedural flaws in holding the vote on the prime minister nominee on Monday, and the parliamentary speaker promised to preside over the meeting and hold the vote, so we will hold the vote on the 16th without fail.”
Other ruling party officials, speaking to Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity, called Moon’s proposal “immature” and “outrageous,” saying it violates the rule of law.
Lee is the third prime minister nominee to come under public scrutiny since May, after the first two quit over allegations of ethical and other lapses.
If he fails to win parliamentary approval, Park could face another setback in running state affairs, with her approval rating already at an all-time low.
In South Korea, the prime minister is the second-highest position after the president, but the job has been limited to a largely ceremonial role as power is concentrated heavily in the president.
Outgoing Prime Minister Chung Hong-won will remain in office until his successor is confirmed by the National Assembly. (Yonhap)
