Liberal lawmaker takes over minority seat, signals shift in power balance

(ATTN: UPDATES with Moon's comments in paras 6-8; MODIFIES para 9, 10; TRIMS)
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Yonhap) -- A liberal legislator who campaigned against President
Lee Myung-bak in 2007 will head a parliamentary negotiating group this year,
signaling a subtle shift in the balance of power for South Korea's National
Assembly.
Moon Kook-hyun, chairman of the progressive Renewal of Korea Party (RKP), will
head the negotiating body for one year beginning this month, strengthening the
largest opposition party staunchly opposed to President Lee's economic reform
plans, including an early ratification of a free trade pact with Washington.
In August, two minor opposition parties forged an alliance to more strongly voice
their opinions as a third parliamentary negotiating group. The move marked the
first time since 1996 that South Korea's bipolar parliament had more than two
negotiating blocks.
The minority group, holding a combined 21 seats in the 299-member unicameral
house, was formerly led by Lee Hoi-chang, the ultra-conservative Liberty Forward
Party (LFP) chairman, and had often sided with President Lee's Grand National
Party (GNP).
With an alliance driven primarily by the need to meet the minimum 20-seat
requirement to form a negotiating body, the two parties have demonstrated widely
disparate views regarding North Korea, Seoul's alliance with Washington and labor
relations.
"We have been together with your party on the idea that bills must not be settled
hastily without sufficient deliberation. Legislation should not be pushed using
the number (of seats in the parliament)," Moon said in a meeting with the main
opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Friday. The comments imply Moon will
cooperate with the DP in stopping the ruling GNP from railroading controversial
bills.
The GNP controls 172 seats in the parliament while its main opponent holds 83.
"We look forward to the third negotiating group enhancing its role in the
parliament," DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun said.
Some observers have raised concerns about the timing of Moon's chairmanship,
arguing it could further complicate the ongoing partisan negotiations to end a
month-long legislative vacuum.
The liberal DP has been occupying parliament's main chamber for eight consecutive
days in opposition to ruling party-led bills it describes as "anti-democratic"
and "unfair to the underprivileged."
Despite mediating efforts by the parliamentary speaker, rival parties have been
unsuccessful in reaching agreement on the timing of approving a US$30 billion
free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States and media ownership
deregulation.
Law enforcement officials mobilized by Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o have been
blockading the parliament since Tuesday, ready to force out legislators from the
main hall so that pending bills can be put up for vote.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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