National Assembly Speaker, “I Will Introduce the Budget Bill on 26th and 27th“

The National Assembly is expected to hold a floor leaders` meeting, presided over by National Assembly Speaker Lee Man-Sup, on 24th, and to discuss the 2002 budget bill amounting to 111.9767 trillion won, which was dispelled due to the walkout of the lawmaker of the Grand National Party (GNP) on 21st.

The National Assembly Speaker Lee Man-Sup said yesterday, "The public welfare and the nation`s livelihood should be no longer delayed due to the power struggle between the ruling and opposition party. If the floor leaders do not negotiate, I will introduce the bill at the plenary session on 26th and 27th and give it the parliamentary blessing." "If the stumbling block is whether the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) offers apology to the GNP or not, I will offer the apology on behalf of the MDP." added Lee.

Meanwhile, saying that "the MDP failed to honor the spirit of agreement on lowering the corporate tax rate by one percent on 21st when it argued for the opposite during the discussion session." the GNP spokesperson Kwon Chul-Hyun demanded for the MDP floor leader`s apology and the promise to prevent the recurrence.

However, the MDP floor leader Lee Sang-Soo criticized the GNP saying that "how could they delay the budget bill and walkout blaming it for one individual lawmaker`s statement of opinion?"

In-Soo Song issong@donga.com