(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on June 26)

Sit-in at parliament

The Democratic Party lawmakers staging a sit-in at the National Assembly to
physically block the ruling Grand National Party from convening the June
extraordinary session of the parliament should return to their seats in the
parliament.

Rather than taking their cause outside the National Assembly - the main opposition
party has said that it will hold a mass rally today to protest the media bills which
the ruling party is intent on passing at the June National Assembly session - the DP
should use the parliament as a venue to air their issues.

As a precondition for convening the June session, the DP had presented a list of
five demands, including an apology from President Lee Myung-bak on the death of
former President Roh Moo-hyun. The DP leadership also said that it would fight to
the death over the "evil" media bills.

Presenting preconditions for convening a parliamentary session renders redundant the
National Assembly law which spells out when sessions are to convene. In fact, the DP
is violating the law when it refuses join the parliamentary session.

If the DP leaders are adamant on resisting the media bills, it should do so on the
National Assembly floor through rigorous debate. Voters did not elect legislators to
organize demonstrations - the voters expect their representatives to work within the
framework of parliamentary democracy.

People still have vivid memories of the fracas that broke out at the National
Assembly last December. In the scenes that played over and over on television and on
the internet, legislators were thugs, shouting, physically assaulting each other and
breaking down a locked door with a sledgehammer. People were appalled to witness
such a complete collapse of law and order at the very place where laws are made.

The current sit-in at the National Assembly may develop into a similar brawl when
the GNP unilaterally convenes the June parliamentary session today.

However, there is still room for compromise. The GNP has raised the possibility of
making changes to the media bills and there are voices within the DP calling for
negotiations at the parliament.

Indeed, the GNP will find it difficult to justify its insistence on passing the
media laws at the expense of more urgent bills that need immediate attention, such
as an amendment to the law concerning non-regular workers. Unless the parliament
acts on the matter in the next few days, massive layoffs will be a reality. The DP
will also not be able to escape responsibility if their actions delay the passage of
urgent bills that directly affect the people.

The lack of political finesse among Korean politicians is tiring and disillusioning.
All that legislators seem to know about is posturing - negotiations and compromises
are nowhere to be found.
(END)