Uri Party Vexed, GNP Unconcerned

The ruling Uri Party denounced the Grand National party, saying, “The Grand National Party (GNP) is trying for extra gain while they do nothing.”

In response, the GNP said, “Relocation of public corporations to local provinces can be decided by the government’s plan, but the government must take responsibility for the result caused by the relocation.”

The ruling and opposition parties are fiercely squaring off regarding the issue of the relocation of a total of 177 public corporations to local provinces.

The ruling Uri Party condemned the GNP for not attending a general conference of the Construction and Transportation Committee of the National Assembly on May 25, saying that “They seek only perquisites without doing any work for them.”

Prior to this, during an enlarged executive members meeting of the Uri Party, a standing central committee member, Lee Mi-kyoung, also raised her voice, saying, “While the GNP does not attend an official conference, they are lobbying in a clandestine manner, saying, ‘Please relocate some public corporations that can help boost a local economy to their constituency.’”

Despite this criticism, the GNP seems unconcerned. On the same day, Yim Tae-hee, a chief vice floor leader of the GNP, said, “The GNP’s position is that it is not proper to distribute public corporations piece by piece to provinces nationwide.”

During a caucus attended by major executive members of the GNP on May 24, Rep. Kim Byung-ho, an executive secretary of the Construction and Transportation Committee of the National Assembly, said, “Even though the government reported a plan to relocate public corporations to local provinces to the National Assembly for just a day, it is planning to announce the plan as if it consulted with the National Assembly thoroughly,” and added, “We can not serve as a set off point for the government.”

Kang Jae-sup, floor leader of the GNP revealed his position, saying, “Though the period that allows the operation of the Special Committee for New Administrative Capital Construction is scheduled to end soon, the GNP has no intentions of setting up a new special committee for it.”

Regarding the Uri Party’s denouncement of the GNP, an official of the GNP said, “Since the issue of the relocation of public corporations to local provinces has developed into a controversial issue due to each other’s local interests, the Uri Party is aiming at passing the buck to the GNP.”

Young-ChanYoon yyc11@donga.com