By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter

Prime Minister Goh Kun on Tuesday vetoed an opposition-proposed bill aimed at weakening the presidential power of granting special amnesties.

The government sent back to the National Assembly the rejected bill that was intended to force the president to seek consultations regarding pardons. The government action would formally kill the bill, unless the Assembly gathers two thirds of the total lawmakers to override the veto.

Goh’s decision, which was expected well in advance, will, however, likely sour the ``amicable but fragile’’ relationship he has had with the opposition parties, since becoming the nation’s acting president 10 days ago. Goh took over presidential authority after the opposition-controlled National Assembly impeached President Roh Moo-hyun on March 12.

Goh’s decision was deemed to be a bellwether to show the future attitudes of the interim leader, who has been compelled to ``walk a tightrope’’ between the opposition and the temporarily incapacitated president.

``The bill can potentially infringe the Constitution from a legal perspective,’’ Goh said in rejecting the bill at the Cabinet meeting he presided over. He responded to Justice Minister Kang Kum-sil, who reported that the bill restricts the presidential right stipulated by the Constitution.

``No such case is found in any other country,’’ Kang was quoted as saying.

The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) and the small opposition Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) expressed regret, unleashing dissatisfaction. But, it is unclear whether they would try to override the veto, according to experts.

Few believe the opposition camps would convene an Assembly session to that end with the April 15 general elections near at hand, given the hostile public sentiment against them in the aftermath of the presidential impeachment.

Theoretically, the Assembly should get a two-thirds majority _ which the GNP and MDP secured in impeaching Roh _ to send the bill to Goh again to force him to sign it.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr