President Park Geun-hye on Monday underlined the importance of cooperative governance in the administration and legislature, seeking support from the new opposition-dominated National Assembly.

While reiterating calls for the passage of government-steered economic reform bills, Park vowed to improve communication with major political parties and the new parliamentary leadership.

“What the people expect the most of the 20th National Assembly is harmony and cooperative governance,” Park said at the opening session of the new parliament.


The newly composed legislature automatically effectuated on May 30, but it was last Thursday that it marked the real beginning of its four-year term by electing a parliamentary speaker and two assisting vice speakers. Chung Sye-kyun, sixth-term lawmaker of The Minjoo Party of Korea, was chosen for the top post, with Reps. Shim Jae-cheol of the Saenuri Party and Park Joo-sun of the People’s Party as vice speakers.

“I will henceforth meet with the chiefs of the (top) three parties on a regular basis and respect the legislature as an equal partner in state affairs,” Park said.

The president’s speech at the Assembly general meeting hall, the fifth of its kind since she took office in February 2013, came in the lasting aftermath of the April 13 general election, in which the ruling conservative Saenuri Party experienced a crushing defeat.

It was also her first official encounter with the lawmaking body since vetoing a parliamentary advancement revision bill on May 27 that aims at allowing more frequent hearings, a move which deepened the feuds between Cheong Wa Dae and the opposition camp.

“I believe that when it comes to the interest of the people, there can be neither ruling party, nor opposition party,” Park said.

She also used the floor to once again call for the passage of government-led bills, including the labor reform bills which fizzled out in the previous parliamentary term amid partisan dissent.

“The slow global economy and low oil prices have led to a supply-demand imbalance, posing a threat to our economy’s key businesses such as shipbuilding and marine transport,” Park said.

“Without a drastic restructuring to cut down unnecessary costs, our entire economy could be in danger.”

While admitting that the upcoming restructuring actions will result in mass layoffs, Park claimed that the most fundamental solution is to add momentum to the pending labor reforms.

“Successful restructuring may only be possible when it is based on a virtuous circle of the labor market and a reinforced social network,” she said, citing a series of bills to expand unemployment allowance and to allow dispatch service of workers.

Park also called for parliamentary support in pressing North Korea into giving up its nuclear armament, expressing guard against the communist regime‘s recent calls for communications.

“Without denuclearization, talks of communications are but a deceit (of North Korea) to turn around the situations,” Park said, pointing out that the North continued its nuclear development even during denuclearization talks.

“When it comes to security issues that directly involve the lives and safety of our people, there can be no compromise.”

While the Saenuri Party described the president’s speech as implying true respect for the parliament, the opposition camp voiced resentment.

“We take the president’s call for harmony and cooperation as a meaningful move, but more communication is needed on restructuring and North Korean nuclear issues,” the Minjoo Party’s spokesperson Rep. Park Kwang-on said through a statement.

“It is disappointing that the president failed to mention government or corporate responsibility, placing focus on the labor market only.”
It is also questionable whether intense sanctions are sufficient in addressing the peninsular peace issue, he added.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)