2nd PM Designate Vetoed

The National Assembly vetoed Prime Minister designate Chang Dae-whan yesterday, triggering stir in the political landscape. President Kim Dae-jung will have less control on state affairs as his term is nearing an end. The confrontation between the Grand National Party (GNP) and the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) is expected to further intensify in the run up to the presidential election.

This is the second time the National Assembly vetoed a Prime Minister nominee designated by the government for lack of morality. Earlier, it rejected the motion of confirmation of female acting Prime Minister Chang Sang for the same reason. Observers in the political sector are worried that there is a fundamental problem in the personnel verification system of the presidential office of Chungwadae. Is also appears that the rival parties would pass the buck to each other for the state of vacuum due to the absence of prime minister.

266 out of total 272 members of the National Assembly participated in the floor vote yesterday. Out of 266 parliamentarians, 151 voted against the motion, while 112 cast affirmative ballots for it. There were three blank ballots.

The 266 participants include 138 GNP lawmakers, 111 MDP lawmakers, 10 lawmakers from the United Liberal Democrats (ULD) and 7 lawmakers from other non-negotiation bodies. Before the vote, the GNP set the party line against the confirmation and the MDP for the confirmation. The ULD left the decision to individual lawmakers.

The rejection of the premier-designate by the legislature is the eighth of its kind in history. As the confirmation motion for Chang was turned down, President Kim accepted Chang`s resignation and decided to leave the post empty until the next premier is designated.

Park Seon-suk, presidential spokesperson said, "It is deplorable that the confirmation motions of Prime Minister designates were rejected in a row and I apologize to the public. But President Kim will do his best to run state affairs in a firm and stable manner."

Park also said, "President Kim will designate another Prime Minister designate and seek his confirmation at the National Assembly. Asked whether the government will insist on the acting premier system, Park answered that there was no alternative, indicating that Chungwadae would appoint an acting Prime Minister again.

Regarding the veto, Nam Gyeong-pil, GNP spokesman said, "It was an unavoidable results of Chunwadae`s failure to thorough check the background of the premier designate. Park Jie-won, who boasted about Chang`s integrity, should be censured."

Lee Nak-yeon, MDP spokesman argued that the GNP should feel responsibility for causing the confusion in state affairs. Yu Wun-young, ULD spokesman said that the mail culprits behind the confusion in state affairs are Chungwadae`s failure to fully understand the current situation and the irrational act of the political sector

ysmo@donga.com klimt@donga.com