MDP Blames GNP for Hobbling National Administration

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) on Sunday started a counterattack on the opposition Grand National Party (GNP), saying the opposition party went too far in hobbling the administration in state affairs. According to the MDP, the GNP compared President Roh Moo-hyun to a frog in its executives` meeting on August 22. The MDP`s counterattack is seen as "covering fire" to protect the president.

In a statement, MDP vice-spokesman Jang Jeong-hyoung said, "For the first six months under Mr. Roh`s participatory government, the GNP only focused on instigating regional discord, hobbling the national administration, and finding fault with the president. It often says that people chose the wrong person as president or that the president should resign. The GNP, which does not accept the Korean people`s choice in the last election, rather should reflect on why the party`s popularity is still low." The vice-spokesman advised the GNP to play an opposition party`s role with sound criticism, rather than mudslinging.

"The GNP did not accept the results of the presidential election and called for a recount of the ballots and has wasted the past six months in criticizing the new government with unfounded allegations," Rep. Chung Sye-kyun, MDP policy committee chairman said.

"The GNP, which controls a majority of the National Assembly`s seats (149 seats), has said it will help but instead has actually hobbled the national administration. A party that wastes taxpayers` money is not entitled to participate in administration and the very existence of such a party is bad luck for the Korean people," he added.

"The majority opposition party is now making harsh remarks against the ruling party in what amounts to a bluffing game. The GNP should be born again as an opposition party to offer healthy vision and ideas," Rep. Kim Sung-ho of the MDP said. The MDP spokesmen`s office distributed leaflets including cases that show the GNP`s involvement in political maneuvering for the past six months.

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com