Labor party physically blocks committee from passing budget plan

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- A handful of labor party lawmakers and officials
physically blocked a parliamentary committee Thursday from passing next year's
budget plan, denouncing it as a boon for the nation's privileged.
The Democratic Labor Party (DLP), which controls five seats in the 299-member
unicameral house, has been a thorn in the side of rival lawmakers this week as
its members have interfered with parliamentary meetings aimed at passing a raft
of budget bills.
The left-leaning minority party, composed mostly of former labor activists and
farmers, is strongly opposed to the conservative government's tax cut plan and
its push to pass a free trade pact with the United States.
Accusing the ruling Grand National Party of using its dominance to unilaterally
settle bills some view as favorable only to the country's privileged, DLP
lawmakers have already blocked the passage of planned tax cuts and interrupted a
scheduled meeting between leaders of the two largest parties.
The National Assembly is undergoing a one-month special session this week to
settle pending bills, including next year's budget, with parties continuing to
bicker over the government's controversial economic rescue plan.
Rival parties vowed to make haste in approving nearly 2,000 bills left untouched
since the new parliament convened in May, but remain split over how the
government should run the economy next year in the midst of a financial crisis.
The extraordinary parliamentary session will run through Jan. 8.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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