ID :
114326
Wed, 03/31/2010 - 13:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/114326
The shortlink copeid
Parties grapple with political fallout from sunken ship
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- Ruling and opposition parties pushed different agendas Wednesday as they grappled with political fallout from one of the country's worst naval disasters, one side demanding an immediate parliamentary investigation and the other urging the focus to remain on rescue operations.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), calling for concerted efforts to find
the missing sailors from a sunken warship, said parliamentary investigations must
also begin to find and act on those responsible for the incident.
The 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan sank near the western inter-Korean sea border
Friday night after an unexplained explosion. Only 58 of the 104 crew members
aboard survived, leaving 46 others still missing, feared to be trapped in the
vessel's rear still submerged underwater.
"Six days have passed since the disaster, but the government and military
authorities have failed to provide answers to even a single question. Appropriate
measures must follow after the cause of the accident is revealed," Chung
Sye-kyun, the party chief, said in a radio address.
"It is absolutely wrong to deny efforts to get at the truth," he said. "We should
convene the parliamentary intelligence committee and hold hearings. We should
also immediately form a National Assembly fact-finding committee."
The ship's sinking put on hold pre-campaign preparations for the June 2 local
elections, which rival parties equate to a mid-term assessment for President Lee
Myung-bak's government. The DP has said the naval disaster will be at the center
of their parliamentary activities.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is dismissing the opposition's demands as a
politically motivated attack, saying saving the missing seamen are the priority.
"Right now, the best we can do is to focus on rescuing the missing (sailors),"
GNP chief Chung Mong-joon said at a meeting with the party's leadership. "We
will have time later to find the truth and those accountable."
Chung Doo-un, chairman of GNP's election planning committee, warned anyone using
the naval incident for political purposes will face the judgement of voters.
"There have been questions on how the incident would affect the upcoming local
elections," he said. It is inappropriate to link a matter of national security to
elections. If there is any such move, it will be judged resolutely by the
public," he said.
Both parties have minimized campaign activities, delaying their nomination
process and announcement of election pledges. The GNP, which had hoped to
complete the nomination race by the end of April, now says it may have to wait
until May.
The DP suspended all election activities for this week and said it will set a new
campaign schedule pending progress in rescue efforts.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- Ruling and opposition parties pushed different agendas Wednesday as they grappled with political fallout from one of the country's worst naval disasters, one side demanding an immediate parliamentary investigation and the other urging the focus to remain on rescue operations.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), calling for concerted efforts to find
the missing sailors from a sunken warship, said parliamentary investigations must
also begin to find and act on those responsible for the incident.
The 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan sank near the western inter-Korean sea border
Friday night after an unexplained explosion. Only 58 of the 104 crew members
aboard survived, leaving 46 others still missing, feared to be trapped in the
vessel's rear still submerged underwater.
"Six days have passed since the disaster, but the government and military
authorities have failed to provide answers to even a single question. Appropriate
measures must follow after the cause of the accident is revealed," Chung
Sye-kyun, the party chief, said in a radio address.
"It is absolutely wrong to deny efforts to get at the truth," he said. "We should
convene the parliamentary intelligence committee and hold hearings. We should
also immediately form a National Assembly fact-finding committee."
The ship's sinking put on hold pre-campaign preparations for the June 2 local
elections, which rival parties equate to a mid-term assessment for President Lee
Myung-bak's government. The DP has said the naval disaster will be at the center
of their parliamentary activities.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) is dismissing the opposition's demands as a
politically motivated attack, saying saving the missing seamen are the priority.
"Right now, the best we can do is to focus on rescuing the missing (sailors),"
GNP chief Chung Mong-joon said at a meeting with the party's leadership. "We
will have time later to find the truth and those accountable."
Chung Doo-un, chairman of GNP's election planning committee, warned anyone using
the naval incident for political purposes will face the judgement of voters.
"There have been questions on how the incident would affect the upcoming local
elections," he said. It is inappropriate to link a matter of national security to
elections. If there is any such move, it will be judged resolutely by the
public," he said.
Both parties have minimized campaign activities, delaying their nomination
process and announcement of election pledges. The GNP, which had hoped to
complete the nomination race by the end of April, now says it may have to wait
until May.
The DP suspended all election activities for this week and said it will set a new
campaign schedule pending progress in rescue efforts.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
