NPAD floor leader shows tears to new prime minister

“I was really sorry. I couldn’t help your confirmation as prime minister.”

Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo who visited the National Assembly on Tuesday and Woo Yoon-keun, the floor leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), showed tears. The two people worked closely with each other as a floor leader of their party from October last year and helped the National Assembly pass the special Sewol bill and the budget bill smoothly. Prime Minister Lee said, “Though there was opposition (from the opposition party) in the confirmation hearing, I was deeply touched by your sympathetic look at me.” Woo’s eyes welled up with tears, saying, “It was painful because I couldn’t help you.” Prime Minister Lee wiped out tears with his handkerchief.

The two people exchanged compliments. When Prime Minister Lee said, “Mr. Woo is a noble man,” Mr. Woo said, “I still believe that you are my partner to cherish and a good guide to my life.”

Some said, however, that the two people’s tears represented a wrong partnership. A member of the NPAD party said, “It is wrong to shed tears and say sorry for not having helped him in the official setting.” A first-time opposition lawmaker said, “It was inappropriate for a floor leader to say sorry for not having helped the prime minister against whom all opposition party lawmakers cast votes.”