Opposition parties rejected President Park Geun-hye’s proposal for talks to break a political deadlock on Monday even though her top aide said Park is willing to discuss the most sensitive issues, including the fate of her nominee for prime minister.
During his courtesy calls, Han Gwang-ok, her new chief of staff, sounded out party leaders about the offer of dialogue Park made on Friday to discuss solutions to a deepening political crisis triggered by an influence-peddling scandal involving her longtime friend.
Han raised the stake for the talks, telling the ruling party chief that the opposition’s demand for the withdrawal of the prime minister nomination can also be on agenda and that Park could visit the National Assembly rather than holding the meeting at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
But the main opposition leader refused to meet and other minor parties swiftly turned a cold shoulder. As preconditions for the talks, they demanded Park withdraw the “unilateral” nomination, declare she will step back from state affairs and give up her ruling party membership.
"The meeting can take place only when the nomination of Kim Byong-joon is canceled and other conditions are met. A meeting for the sake of a meeting is meaningless," Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, told reporters.
Odds are growing that Park will dump the premier pick in the face of strong objection from the opposition parties.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said “Time is running out. We have to discuss even the option of discarding Kim Byong-joon.”
The president named Kim and Han last Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, in a government reshuffle aimed at coping with the fallout from the so-called Choi Soon-sil gate.
Kim’s nomination was a surprise to many as he served as senior presidential policy adviser under the liberal administration of the late President Roh Moo-hyun, who ruled the country from 2003-2008.
But it was far short of defusing her political crisis.
Opposition parties and her rivals in the ruling party lambasted the president for not consulting with political parties. The opposition bloc has also demanded that Park take her hands off politics and delegate her executive authority to a neutral Cabinet formed on bipartisan agreement.
During his meeting with Saenuri leader Lee Jung-hyun, Han appealed for bipartisan cooperation in coping with the negative repercussions the scandal has brought on state governance.
"Talks are held even during a war," Han said. "The role of the legislature is crucial in this difficult situation."
The ruling party leader echoed the need to promptly hold the top-level political meeting to discuss a range of issues, including setting up a nonpartisan Cabinet -- a key demand by the opposition parties.
Han also met with Park Jie-won, the interim leader of the minor People's Party, who repeated the demand that Park cancel her nomination for a new prime minister.
Amid growing calls for the president to play only a nominal role in running the country, the presidential office said that if approved by the legislature, Prime Minister-designate Kim will be given the "entire scope of authority" allowed under the current law.
"(The president) will give the new prime minister powerful authority," a presidential official told reporters, declining to be named.
The official, however, showed reluctance over the opposition parties' demand that Park clearly state she would "take a back seat" to a new prime minister.
"The question is whether the prime minister will have substantial authority in carrying out his duties," he said. "I don't think the wording itself is important."
Meanwhile, Choo, the Democratic Party leader, plans to hold a breakfast meeting Tuesday with her party's presidential hopefuls to discuss how to cope with the fallout from the political scandal.
Among the participants are former party leader Moon Jae-in, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and South Chungcheong Governor Ahn Hee-jung, a party official said.
Choo has also scheduled a meeting with the leaders of the People's Party and Progressive Party on Wednesday to discuss their cooperation in handling the ramifications of the scandal.
(Yonhap)
