Pres. Lee Says GNP Will Decide on Lawmakers’ Return

In regards to the reinstatement of Pro-Park lawmakers, President Lee Myung-bak said yesterday, “Personally, I’m fine with their return.” But he also said the matter is up to the Grand National Party’s decision.

President Lee held a one-on-one meeting for about two hours over lunch with former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, for the first time since his inauguration, and made the remarks to answer Park’s question.

According to Park, Lee responded by saying, “I’ll tell (the party) to make a decision on the issue through an official procedure,” after Park said, “It is wrong for the GNP not to make an official decision on their return.”

In response, Park said, “The party cannot delay its official decision indefinitely,” to which Lee agreed, saying, “Of course. The party should not postpone the decision to the party convention.”

As Lee said that the issue should be concluded before the convention scheduled for July 3, the party’s supreme council is expected to begin an official decision-making process to settle the matter.

Shortly before her flight to Australia and New Zealand, Park told at reporters at Incheon Airport, “I told the president that I wanted the issue to be concluded by late May, so I can make my decision accordingly.”

In her meeting with the president, Park reportedly mentioned the “unfairness” of the investigation into Pro-Park lawmakers-elect, saying, “I heard that the presidential office calls the prosecution everyday. Isn’t that wrong?” Lee answered, “If there’s anything wrong, I’ll correct it.”

However, the presidential office explained on the remarks, saying, “What the president meant was that the presidential office should not and cannot participate in the prosecutorial investigation.”

When reporters asked if trust between the president and her was successfully restored, Park said, “At the beginning, I trusted (Lee). But it wasn’t me who broke the trust.”

According to Park, unlike rumors circulating in some quarters, Lee did not propose at the meeting that she be appointed to the party chair position.

taylor55@donga.com