Posted July. 17, 2002 22:25,
Diplomatic activities of lawmakers should be encouraged for the sake of the national interests. Trip to overseas should not be regarded as negative in that lawmakers could have an opportunity to have an insight on the international affairs and expand their knowledge pool. But many lawmakers say they are doing diplomatic activities in disguise while, in fact, going sightseeing. This is a clear deception of the public and waste of tax- payers money. Also making overseas trip en mass when the National Assembly is in session is a reckless behavior, which is unworthy of lawmakers.
When you take a look at a study by Citizens` Coalition of Economic Justice that analyzed diplomatic activities of lawmakers, you will heave a sigh over the level of the nation`s lawmakers. Of the total 12 days of the average itinerary, lawmakers spent 5 days for sightseeing and 4 days for diplomatic activity. When they make a goodwill visit to overseas, lawmakers worked only 3 days and spent 7 days for enjoying. In an extreme case, a lawmaker made a 18 day overseas trip. But officially he visited two countries for two days and made a tour in six countries for the rest of the itinerary.
The National Assembly has not reveal the contents of diplomatic activities by lawmakers, saying that if the disclosure of their diplomatic activities could do grave harm to national interests. The National Assembly has just tried to cover up the shameful activities of lawmakers. As soon as the incumbent National Assembly kicked off the July extraordinary session, about 50 lawmakers embarked on overseas trip one after another. Their report for overseas activity should be made public. If they made a trip only for sightseeing, they have to be punished.
It sounds ridiculous for the National Assembly to build another building for lawmakers at a time when a number of lawmakers neglect their duty.
Now that the number of lawmakers has been reduced by 26, the National Assembly`s insistence that the space for lawmakers is not large enough cannot be justified, nor be accepted by the public. The National Assembly should withdraw its plan to build another building for lawmakers. What would lawmakers answer if the public cynically asks, "Are you lawmakers making an overseas trip that much because your offices are too small?"