Normalize Assembly

Rival parties should stop stubborn war of words

The ruling and opposition parties, having spent the past two months in an aimless vicious verbal duel, are yet to find an exit from their extreme confrontation. Therefore, according to the National Assembly Law, an extraordinary session must be convened this month.

However, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberal Party of Korea (LKP) are still pitted against each other over various political issues. At stake are the controversial "fast-track" bills on electoral reform and the realignment of investigative power between the prosecution and the police, which the LKP is all out to stop.

First, the opposition party should return to the Assembly, regardless of its demand that the ruling party withdraw the fast-track bills as a condition for the normalization of the Assembly.

The DPK can convene the special session alone. But normal operation of the Assembly sessions requires an agreement with the LKP on the agenda and proceedings of the meetings. Without the cooperation of the conservative opposition party, it is obvious that the special session, even if convened unilaterally, will be paralyzed.

There are many urgent issues that should be resolved immediately for national security and the economy. In particular, the economy shows no signs of an early recovery, with people, particularly those in the low-income brackets, complaining of worsening living conditions. Time is running out. The political world has no more time to waste. Legislative efforts are imperative to help solve pending issues.

The rival parties should stop their stubborn war of words and normalize parliamentary operations at once. The ruling party needs to provide a chance for the LKP to return to the Assembly by such means as to promise that the Election Law will only be revised through an agreement by all parties on the floor.

The LKP should also change its hardline stance of fighting against the government and ruling party outside the Assembly. It should go back to it to discuss all the problems the nation is now facing.