Opposition urges Pres. Park to express views on spy agency scandal

The main opposition Democratic Party focused its attack on President Park Geun-hye on Friday, the second day of its street protest against the National Intelligence Service’s alleged intervention in last year’s presidential election.

During a meeting held at the party’s tent headquarters for the protest, floor leader Jun Byung-hun urged the president to express her “clear position” on efforts to uncover truths about the NIS’s intervention in the presidential election and the proposed reform of the spy agency. “The president’s silence is never a virtue,” he said. “She should give an answer (to our calls).”

The opposition party also encouraged its members to participate in a planned rally to be held at the Cheonggye Square in central Seoul at 6:00 p.m. Saturday.

Democratic Party Chairman Kim Han-gil vowed to continue the protest until the party “put the fallen democracy back up together with the people.” Kim’s chief secretary Roh Woong-rae said Kim would join candlelight rallies held by civic groups after Saturday.

Some lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party voiced self-reflection over the political impasse. Kim Sung-tae, a Saenuri lawmaker, said that his party should share a “big responsibility” for the opposition party taking to the streets, urging the Saenuri`s leadership to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure that politics take care of the people’s livelihood.