YONHAP NEWS

Main opposition party in dilemma over Assembly boycott

   By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, June 13 (Yonhap) -- Woes appeared to be deepening for South Korea's main opposition party Friday, as an increasing number of citizens expressed disapproval toward the party's ongoing move to abandon its legislative duty and occupy the streets in protest against the impending resumption of U.S. beef imports.

   Up to 65 percent of South Korea's citizens are against the opposition party's boycotting of parliament, while a mere 20 percent are in favor of the move, polling group Research & Research said Friday, citing a survey of 800 adults nationwide. The telephone poll, conducted Wednesday under Yonhap News Agency's request, has an error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points at a confidence level of 95 percent.

   Three opposition parties, led by the United Democratic Party (UDP), have been boycotting the new parliament for nearly two weeks, joining nationwide street protests demanding complete renegotiation of an April 18 beef deal with Washington. South Korea will almost fully reopen its market to U.S. beef under the pact, which has fueled public outrage here.

   Nearly 80 percent of those who were against the opposition's boycott, however, were seen to be supporters of President Lee Myung-bak and his conservative party.

   The ruling Grand National Party has been striving to coax its rivals back to the parliament, emphasizing that substantial discussions on the beef imports can only be held within the Assembly.

   The paralysis in parliament is only one measure of the mounting tension here, with hundreds of thousands of citizens taking to the streets on Tuesday alone, demanding their government nullify and renegotiate the beef pact.

   South Koreans have criticized their government for agreeing to almost entirely remove restrictions on U.S. beef imports, including those on the age of butchered cattle, which are seen as critically necessary in preventing cases of mad cow disease in the country.

   On the surface, the main opposition UDP is holding firm on its position to continue the boycott of the parliamentary session until the ruling party cooperates in revising a local livestock epidemic law.

   Revision of the law would enable Seoul to legally ban imports of U.S. beef from cattle older than 30 months, which are deemed more vulnerable to mad cow disease, along with other specified risk materials.

   The government has pledged to make an effort to persuade Washington to make an additional agreement to restrict trading beef from older cattle, but opposition parties spurn the move as insufficient.

   Voices are increasing from party insiders, however, that it is time for the opposition to rejoin the parliament, as signs of public criticism are appearing.

   In an one-on-one meeting with ex-President Kim Dae-jung Wednesday, UDP leader Sohn Hak-kyu reportedly expressed his concerns over the issue.

   "I am seriously thinking over the issue (of joining the parliament) as former President Kim advised the party to do so immediately," Sohn told reporters after the meeting. "I am torn between whether to stay with the public in streets, or return to the parliament to serve the role as an opposition party member."
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)