Published : Sept. 16, 2013 - 19:50
박근혜 대통령과 황우여 새누리당 대표, 김한길 민주당 대표가 16일 오후 국회 사랑재에서 열린 여야 대표 회담을 마치고 사랑재를 나서고 있다. (연합뉴스)
박근혜 대통령과 여야 대표와의 16일 국회 3자 회담이 합의문 도출 없이 끝났다.
정국 정상화 여부의 전환점으로 여겨졌던 3자회담이 성과 없이 종료됨에 따라 경색된 정국은 추석 연휴를 훌쩍 넘겨 장기화할 우려를 키우고 있다.
특히 정치권에선 민주당이 이날로 47일째를 맞은 장외투쟁을 지속하고, 새누리당이 국회 복귀 압박 강도를 높이면서 여야간 대치가 갈수록 격화할 것으로 전망하고 있다.
당분간 정기국회 정상화도 담보할 수 없게 됐다.
박 대통령과 새누리당 황우여, 민주당 김한길 대표는 이날 국회 사랑재에서 예상보다 30분을 넘긴 1시간 30여분 동안 국가정보원 대선개입 의혹, 채동욱 검찰총장 사의표명 논란, 민생 국회 등 국회 정상화 방안을 논의했으나 합의점을 찾지 못했다.
박 대통령은 야당이 문제를 제기한 채 총장 감찰 및 사퇴 문제와 관련, "당연히 해야 할 일을 한 것"이라는 입장을 밝혔다고 민주당 김관영 수석 대변인이 기자들에게 전했다.
김한길 대표는 회담 직후 기자들과 만나 '가시적 성과가 있었느냐'는 질문에 "할 말은 다 했다"면서 "많은 얘기가 오갔지만 정답은 하나도 없었다"고 말했다.
황우여 대표는 "대통령으로서는 진심을 담아 야당이 요구한 이야기에 대해 얘기했으니 좋은 결과가 나올 것으로 기대한다"고 말했다.
황 대표 비서실장인 여상규 의원과 민주당 김관영 수석대변인은 "합의문 같은 것은 없다"고 전했다.
박 대통령은 3자회담에 앞서 국회의장단과 여야 지도부를 상대로 열린 순방설명회 말미에 "과거에 잘못된 부분이 있으면 함께 노력해서 고쳤으면 좋겠다"고 밝혔다.
또 "3자 회담을 통해 오해가 풀렸으면 좋겠다. 이번 추석 때 국민이 민생에 대한 희망을 가졌으면 한다"고 말했다.
김 대표는 회담에서 박 대통령에게 국정원 대선개입 의혹에 대한 대국민 사과 등 7대 사항을 요구했을 것이라고 민주당 측이 전했다.
7대 요구사항은 국정원의 대선개입 의혹 분야에서 ▲ 대통령의 대국민 사과 ▲ 국정원 사태에 대한 진상규명 및 책임자 처벌 ▲ 국내 파트 폐지 등 국회 주도의 국정원 개혁 담보, 그리고 채동욱 검찰총장 사태와 관련해 ▲ 사찰정치 책임자 해임 ▲ 재판 관여 시도 중단, ▲ 경제민주화 및 복지 후퇴 반대 ▲ 감세정책의 기조 전환 등이다.
Three-way talks fail to break deadlock
The first three-way talks between President Park Geun-hye and the leaders of the two main parties failed to break the political deadlock Monday, with the opposition condemning the president for simply repeating her initial position without movement toward reform of the spy agency.
“We (the president and I) remained apart on all of our demands,” Democratic Party chairman Kim Han-gil said after the talks. “The dark night of democracy has been extended. We will be returning to the (outdoor protest) tent,” he said.
Political gridlock at the Assembly that has opened for its regular session this month looks to continue after the reluctant gathering of Park, DP chairman Kim Han-gil and ruling Saenuri Party chairman Hwang Woo-yea as they failed to draw out an agreement.
The DP is expected to continue its protest against the NIS’ alleged attempt to meddle in last year’s presidential election, and the purported pressure from Cheong Wa Dae on the chief prosecutor’s resignation.
Tense exchanges filled the talks as the opposition demanded that Park apologize for the series of volatile political issues, while Park denied all allegations directed at her.
With regard to the NIS’ alleged smear campaign during the presidential election, Park said she would seek out those responsible when the court decision is made. Former NIS chief Won Sei-hoon and former Seoul police commissioner Kim Yong-pan are currently indicted for violating the elections law.
Park also refused to apologize for the NIS controversy saying that the case occurred during the previous administration, and instead insisted the agency’s reform plan would be innovative.
Park also took time to spin the criticism at her liberal rivals, asking why the previous governments of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun could not implement the agency’s reform.
To the DP’s claim that Cheong Wa Dae exerted pressure on prosecutor general Chae Dong-wook to resign over a personal rumor, Park said she could not understand the accusation and said his resignation will remain pending until the allegation is clarified.
The three-way talks was held in a hostile setting as the political wrangling took to new heights last week upon Chae’s offer to resign after the Justice Ministry ordered an inspection of him to investigate a conservative newspaper’s claim that he had a child out of wedlock in 2002.
The DP claimed that Chae was forced out of his seat for pushing through the investigation into allegations of the NIS’ smear campaign and that Cheong Wa Dae was behind it all.
Coming out of the talks, the Democratic Party expressed dissatisfaction and repeated their demands of Park at the party’s general meeting.
“While many words have been exchanged, there was not one correct answer,” Kim told reporters.
During the talks, Kim held the NIS accountable for damaging democracy by actions such as unilaterally releasing the inter-Korean summit talks transcript.
With regard to the NIS, Kim demanded that the president apologize for the NIS’ alleged political interference, punish those involved, and enable a parliament-led reform of the agency.
The DP also took issue with Cheong Wa Dae’s purported role in Chae’s resignation and demanded it halt interference into the trials of Won Sei-hoon and Kim Yong-pan.
“Hopes for reviving democracy through the talks have been quashed,” Kim said.
During the talks, Kim handed Park a document specifying the DP’s proposal for NIS reform, which included separating the North Korea- and espionage-related functions of the agency, removing its investigative rights, and strengthening the Assembly’s control over the agency’s budget.
In the report, the DP specified cases of other countries and similar reform plans that had been submitted in 2003 by the Grand National Party, the precursor to the Saenuri Party, as well as the GNP’s move in 2006, joined by Park at the time, to fortify the agency’s political neutrality.
Saenuri Party chairman Hwang proposed making the three-way talks a customary gathering.
“Gathering in one place to discuss different views and position will lead to better understanding and trust, which will lead to higher, stronger and unified state policies,” he said.
Prior to the three-way meeting, Park briefed the Assembly speaker and the leaders of the parties on her trips to Russia and Vietnam earlier this month.
Park proposed setting up a special discussion committee of the major parties for future presidential overseas trips in support of her “sales diplomacy” drive.
By Lee Joo-hee (
jhl@heraldcorp.com)