YONHAP NEWS

Ruling party pledges to broaden middle class

SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The governing Grand National Party (GNP) will focus its political resources on easing socio-economic bipolarization and making people safer from epidemics, violent crime and natural disasters, its floor leader said Tuesday.

Rep. Ahn Sang-soo said in a parliamentary address that his party will soon come up with a comprehensive policy package to broaden the middle class by expanding microcredit lending programs, easing housing shortages and lowering credit card and communication service charges.

"The Korean economy is showing signs of recovery thanks to increases in consumption and investment. But the middle class shrinkage and subsequent increase in poverty are a serious problem that should not be left unsettled any longer," said Ahn.

   "The GNP will prioritize increasing the middle class population by tackling the worsening socio-economic bipolarization. The upcoming policy package will aim to help as many people as possible to enter the middle class."

   Ahn also stressed his party's determination to get tough on violent crime, particularly sexual assaults against children. He said the GNP will lead legal revision efforts to raise the maximum imprisonment for sex offenders against youths to up to 30 years, expand identity disclosure regulations and create support funds for victims of sex crimes.

   He also urged opposition parties to take a non-partisan approach to a number of contentious national issues, including the relocation of a dozen government ministries and offices to the new administrative city of Sejong, as well as the redevelopment of the nation's four major rivers.

   A controversial bid by the Lee Myung-bak administration and some GNP leaders to review the previous government's plan, which would relocate nine ministries and four major administration bodies to Sejong City, about 160km south of Seoul, has angered opposition parties and local residents.

   Opposition parties are also resisting the government's plan to spend 22 trillion won (US$19 billion) to refurbish the four rivers' basins, calling it an environmental disaster and a smoke screen for an in-land canal project.

   Ahn proposed halting all parliamentary debate on the Sejong City issue until the government produces an alternative plan.

   "The Sejong project was an election promise of (former) President Roh Moo-hyun, and President Lee as well as the GNP had concurred with the plan. We respect the promise to the people. But if the government comes up with an alternative plan, we should then engage in active debate," he said.

   He explained the river basin redevelopment project is primarily aimed at preventing water shortages and floods, as well as improving the ecological environment for provincial areas.

   On inter-Korean relations, meanwhile, Ahn reiterated his party's previous position to link massive economic cooperation with North Korea to its denuclearization.

   ycm@yna.co.kr
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