[Reporter`s view] National Assembly gridlock must end

The hottest topic of the new year's national administration is economic recovery. For this, it is vital to realize an improvement in politics.

At the end of last year, the government's economic bureaucrats began drawing a picture for the 2001 national budget in mid-November. Working out an economic policy for the new year would be one of the major tasks of the economic ministries.

Let's look at the process of planning the national budget, which is as huge as nearly 100 trillion won.

"Since last September, we had to concentrate on works related to the National Assembly so we had no time to think about next year's economic goals," a senior official of the Ministry of Finance and Economy said.

A high-ranking official of the Ministry of Planning and Budget said, "We haven't had a ministerial meeting to reflect the public opinion as the National Assembly even had an extraordinary session."

Added a director at the Ministry of Finance and Economy: "I don't know how long I have to wait in front of the National Assembly, and that annoys me. The fight at the National Assembly not only distracts the ruling and opposition parties but also keeps public servants like me on the scene."

Since November, it was difficult to meet high-ranking officials at the government office building in Kwachon. As the extraordinary session of the National Assembly opened Dec. 10, it was even more difficult to see them. Finance-Economy Minister Jin Nyum spent most of his time at the National Assembly.

Of course, I am not talking about ignoring the function of the National Assembly that checks the administration. But our National Assembly cannot avoid a criticism that it is non-productive.

While minister, vice minister and even working-level officials of the Finance-Economy Ministry are away at the National Assembly, the ministry worked out a master plan of economic policy for the new year. Policy makers confessed that they hurriedly made the plan without having enough time to discuss it.

On Dec. 29, 2000, the master plan was announced at the Kwachon government office building during a conference on national competitiveness, which was presided over by President Kim Dae-Jung.

A retired government official, who worked as an elite economic bureaucrat for 25 years, said that he was unable to read even a single expert publication while working for the government as he was busy visiting here and there. I wonder if such an economic policy worked out in raw haste would have any vision. It is necessary for the government to prepare an economic policy with more serious consideration and reviews.

Choi Young-Hae moneychoi@donga.com