ID :
200892
Fri, 08/12/2011 - 13:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/200892
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Stop excessive confrontation over free lunch referendum
SEOUL, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- The city of Seoul has been engulfed in a political confrontation over the forthcoming referendum on a free lunch for school children scheduled for Aug. 24.
Opposition parties have formed an alliance to boycott the referendum being pushed by mayor Oh Se-hoon. By law, the referendum will become invalid if the turnout falls below one-third of the total eligible votes.
Apparently mindful of the opposition allegation that he is pushing the referendum to promote his political ambitions, Oh announced Friday that he will not run for president in next year's election regardless of the result of the referendum.
The confrontation actually started late last year when the opposition-dominated Seoul city council passed an edict to offer free lunches at all primary and middle schools.
Oh opposed the city council-proposed full-fledged free lunch program, citing limited budget and instead proposed that it be expanded gradually over the next several years.
The hard-pressed mayor filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court against the city council-adopted edict, denouncing it as an "unrealistic welfare populism." The lawsuit is still pending.
Representing the voice of conservative voters who prefer a gradual, phased-in free lunch for children, meanwhile, President Lee Myung-bak came out in support of the Seoul mayor, saying Friday he will cast a vote in the referendum.
The President will cast an absentee ballot because he won't be able to vote in person due to scheduling conflicts, his spokesman said.
Aides also said Lee wants the ruling camp to unite to win the referendum as he sees it as a chance to put the brake on populism.
The opposition parties lashed out at Lee, arguing that his remarks are tantamount to violating law, and demanded that the election management commission conduct a probe.
The essence of the referendum is whether to provide free lunches only for children from low-income families or all students regardless of their family income.
The problem is that the issue has been so much politicized that it is now taken as a proxy war between the ruling and opposition sides who seem to be only interested in getting votes in next year's general and presidential elections.
The political circle is advised to stop excessive confrontation over the referendum. The voters are also advised to participate in the vote after carefully deciding which is the best way to help South Korea.
Opposition parties have formed an alliance to boycott the referendum being pushed by mayor Oh Se-hoon. By law, the referendum will become invalid if the turnout falls below one-third of the total eligible votes.
Apparently mindful of the opposition allegation that he is pushing the referendum to promote his political ambitions, Oh announced Friday that he will not run for president in next year's election regardless of the result of the referendum.
The confrontation actually started late last year when the opposition-dominated Seoul city council passed an edict to offer free lunches at all primary and middle schools.
Oh opposed the city council-proposed full-fledged free lunch program, citing limited budget and instead proposed that it be expanded gradually over the next several years.
The hard-pressed mayor filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court against the city council-adopted edict, denouncing it as an "unrealistic welfare populism." The lawsuit is still pending.
Representing the voice of conservative voters who prefer a gradual, phased-in free lunch for children, meanwhile, President Lee Myung-bak came out in support of the Seoul mayor, saying Friday he will cast a vote in the referendum.
The President will cast an absentee ballot because he won't be able to vote in person due to scheduling conflicts, his spokesman said.
Aides also said Lee wants the ruling camp to unite to win the referendum as he sees it as a chance to put the brake on populism.
The opposition parties lashed out at Lee, arguing that his remarks are tantamount to violating law, and demanded that the election management commission conduct a probe.
The essence of the referendum is whether to provide free lunches only for children from low-income families or all students regardless of their family income.
The problem is that the issue has been so much politicized that it is now taken as a proxy war between the ruling and opposition sides who seem to be only interested in getting votes in next year's general and presidential elections.
The political circle is advised to stop excessive confrontation over the referendum. The voters are also advised to participate in the vote after carefully deciding which is the best way to help South Korea.
