Rival parties reach agreement on parliamentary schedule

SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- The ruling and the main opposition parties reached an agreement on the schedule for the ongoing National Assembly session Wednesday, ending their weeklong dispute over whether the parliamentary inspection of the government will be held before or after Assembly by-elections.

The rival parties agreed to hold the inspection from Oct. 5 to Oct. 24, according
to their floor leaders, who reached the agreement on the schedule for the 100-day
parliamentary session in a meeting.
The by-elections are slated for Oct. 28 with three Assembly seats up for grabs.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) had opposed holding the interpellation
sessions so close to the by-elections, fearing they will provide an opportunity
for the opposition to put serious dents on the government and the GNP ahead of
the elections.
Wednesday's agreement came two days after Rep. Chung Mong-joon became GNP chief,
succeeding Park Hee-tae, who has declared his bid in the upcoming by-elections.
Chung, head of Hyundai Heavy Industries and one of the richest members of the
299-seat Assembly, vowed Tuesday to improve his party's relations with the
opposition, saying they must be regarded as a partner and not an enemy.
President Lee Myung-bak welcomed the normalization of the parliament Wednesday,
calling it a great news not only for the government and the parties but also for
the people.
"There are various analyses and outlooks that economic conditions are improving
here and abroad, but the government is continuing to deal very cautiously with
the situation, and that is why the ongoing parliamentary session is so important
to all of us," the president said in a meeting with a group of party officials,
including GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo.
Under the agreement between Ahn and his counterpart from the main opposition
Democratic Party, Lee Kang-rae, the Assembly will hold its first plenary session
next Wednesday to review the nomination of a Supreme Court justice.
An all-member session will again be convened on Sept. 28 to settle last year's
state budget and approve the appointment of the new prime minister and six
Cabinet members, designated in a reshuffle announced last week.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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