Opposition Leader Begins Hunger Strike

By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

Opposition leader Choe Byung-yul on Wednesday called on President Roh Moo-hyun to withdraw his veto of the special probe bill and conduct an overhaul of state management systems as he began his hunger strike in protest of the action.

``I urge President Roh to withdraw his decision immediately and conduct a radical renovation of state operations to save the people from distress,’’ the chairman of the Grand National Party (GNP) said during a news conference.

``Roh should comply with my proposal that we have a one-on-one televised debate if he really believes his veto of the bill to investigate three of his former aides was just and fair,’’ Choe argued.

Meanwhile, the GNP’s boycott of legislative affairs brought the National Assembly to a standstill.

As ordered by Choe, most of the party’s 149 lawmakers, more that half of the total in the Assembly, visited their constituencies to bring the protest to the people, putting more than 1,000 legislation bills in danger of being discarded.

The ratification of the ROK-Chile free trade agreement may be postponed, while no action is feared on next year’s 117.5 billion won budget.

In a statement, Choe revealed his deep-rooted distrust of Roh, whom he and his party have constantly described as leftist.

``Now I believe the people have judged President Roh’s governing philosophy, view of the nation, foreign policy and other policy orientations as a total failure,’’ he said. ``I cannot sit idle as the leader of the nation’s largest party.’’

The opposition’s all-out anti-government drive comes about a year after the Dec. 19 presidential poll, in which the conservative party’s candidate Lee Hoi-chang was defeated by the liberal Roh, the then-ruling party candidate.

After incessantly hounding the new administration, the majority party flexed its muscles early this month to pass the controversial special probe bill after being driven into a corner by the ongoing prosecution investigation into its illegal fundraising in the last presidential race.

In a deadly game of chicken ahead of another crucial national election in April to form the next Assembly, Roh vetoed the bill on Tuesday saying it is improper to launch an independent inquiry when a prosecution probe is already underway.

The opposition reacted furiously with its lawmakers handing in their written resignations to their party chief and boycotting all legislative activities, including deliberation of the state budget for next year. Choe, for his part, embarked on a hunger strike Wednesday morning.

``We will never give in to the arrogant president,’’ Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, well-known for his combative spirit, told reporters. ``Let us see who will tail away first.’’


jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr