Politics should give people hope

SEOUL, Dec. 4 (Yonhap) -- In their New Year's messages, leaders of major
political parties pledged to engage in politics for the sake of people.
Ahn Sang-soo, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party, said his party will
make a nation which gives low- and middle-income earners hope for better living,
while Sohn Hak-kyu, head of the opposition Democratic Party, vowed efforts to
build a society in which middle-income earners can play their role and all the
people can freely exercise their creativity. Lee Hoi-chang of the Liberal Forward
Party suggested a country where the people can bear hopes and dreams.
Last year, South Koreans had one of the hardest years in history with
unprecedented security threats from North Korea's artillery attack on South
Korea's Yeonpyeong Island and the disaster of animal diseases spreading across
the country dealing an enormous blow to livestock households.
The Korean people ardently hope that politicians will unfold politics that stand
by the people this year and understand their sufferings sincerely.
Although the politicians cry in chorus for "politics for the people," actual
politics does not look very satisfactory to the people.
An extraordinary session of the National Assembly was convened at the request of
the opposition parties on Dec. 10 for a month-long run that ends Jan. 8.
Since the opening of the special session, however, only two standing committee
sessions have actually been held and no plenary sessions have been held. And the
rival parties are moving to convene another special assembly.
Quite a few urgent issues are waiting for deliberation at the assembly, including
bills to improve unemployment, household debts and rising prices of daily
necessities.
The parliament also should hold public hearings on nominees of new Cabinet
members and finish the revision of the law on domestic animals in order to solve
the chronic problem of animal diseases.
The ruling and opposition parties should make their best efforts to handle the
urgent issues at the current special session.
The political party leaders should put their pledges for the people into practice
in order that their pledges may end up as more than just lip service.