``Financial Aid to North Needs the Approval of the National Assembly, Press Suppression Must End``

Agreeing that any financial assistance to the North must be approved by the National Assembly, Lee Hoi-Chang, the leader of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), and Kim Jong-Pil, the honorary president of the United Liberal Democrats (ULD), decided to push forward with the reform of the related law and system if it is necessary yesterday.

The two were concerned that tax probe and the prosecutor`s investigation on the press firms divides the national opinion and deepens the conflict, and agreed that the press suppression must end immediately.

The two discussed the pending issues of the current political situation after meeting at a hotel in Seoul, and announced the five agreements through their spokesperson.

The agreed issues include as such; to make nonpartisan efforts to help the U.S.; to cooperate to address issues regarding the economy and people`s welfare; to establish a policy meeting between the two parties and to discuss the pending issues as often as possible including the frequent meetings of the two leaders in the future.

Kwon Chul-Hyun, spokesperson of the GNP, said after the meeting that ``the two parties will join forces at the Assembly`s inspection and investigation.`` However, regarding the ULD`s demand for easing the requirements for the negotiating body, he said that ``the issue was never discussed.``

Meanwhile, Jang Kwang-Keun, head of the vice-spokesperson, said at the meeting of the party executives that ``through the cooperation with the ULD at the National Assembly, we will push forward with the legislation and the reform of the law on the education government officials, which revises the retirement age of teacher from 62 to 63 years old, the law on the South-North exchange cooperation, and the media law.``

Song In-Soo issong@donga.com