Different Responses to Pre.Roh`s Annual Press Conference

At president Roh Moo-hyun’s annual press conference held yesterday, the Uri Party showed absolute support for him, and the Grand National Party welcomed criticising views.

The Uri Party said that President Roh has a complete understanding of our economic state and that they will focus on supporting the government goal of revitalising the economy.

Chairman Lim Chae-jung and spokeswoman Kim Hyun-me asked for both government and opposition parties to fully support the president’s economic policy. Director of policymaking Hong Jae-hyung said, “We will treat making laws to decrease the difference between temporary and permanent works, and laws about sent-out workers in February or April’s special session of National Assembly.”

The GNP, after President Roh’s speech focusing on revitalizing the economy, welcomed it and promised to cooperate.

Spokeswoman Jeon Yeo-ok described that GNP leader Park Gyeun-hye while watching the conference on TV and said, “It is really good to see that the president has gone away from the four major bills and concentrated on eating and living economic issues.” Jun also said, “We will fully cooperate in President Roh’s government administration push to improve the economy.”

Spokeswoman Jeon requested, “Concentrate on the economy as was written in the speech,” after saying, “We were happy with the speech. However, after seeing him talk passionately about the four bills, we were disappointed.”

The Democratic Labor Party criticised, “The president only accepted the fact that the Korean economy is divided into two and has only produced a superficial solution without considering the poor’s pain.”

Jong-Koo Yoon Myoung-Gun Lee jkmas@donga.com gun43@donga.com