The speech was watched closely as to whether Park will talk about the opposition demand. The scandal, which began nearly a year ago, centers on allegations that state agencies, including the National Intelligence Service (NIS), attempted to influence the tight presidential race with online political postings in favor of Park. The case drew traction last month as fresh allegations emerged that the alleged state meddling was much more extensive than originally thought. Denouncing last years vote as an illegitimate election, the opposition Democratic Party has been boycotting some of the parliamentary proceedings. Park has categorically denied any link to the scandal, saying she neither had any knowledge of the agencys alleged wrongdoing nor did she benefit from it. The spy agency has also claimed the online activity was part of its routine anti-North Korea psychological warfare. As president, I consider it very unfortunate that confrontation and rows continue nearly one year after the presidential election, she said. The government will uncover the truth about the issues of national suspicions at an early date and take due measures, if necessary, as soon as a judiciary judgment comes. Park also pledged to firm up discipline among public officials to make sure there will be no suspicions of election meddling. She also said the government will submit a proposal to reform the spy agency to the National Assembly soon. Opposition party chief Kim Han-gil denounced Parks address as lukewarm. A lot has been said, but there has been no answer, Kim told Yonhap News Agency after the end of the speech. We cannot cook rice with lukewarm water. Upon arrival at the National Assembly, Park entered the main building past a group of five lawmakers holding signs above their shaved heads in protest of the governments filing of a petition calling for the dismantlement of their minor opposition Unified Progressive Party. The petition came after some of the UPP members, including Rep. Lee Seok-ki, were arrested and indicted on charges of plotting to overthrow the government in a scheme suspected of links to North Korea. The party denounces the move as political oppression. The protesters attended the speech, wearing masks with democracy written on them. Many lawmakers from both the ruling Saenuri and the main opposition Democratic parties rose to greet Park as she entered the main National Assembly hall and walked down the aisle to the podium. Most ruling party members and some opposition lawmakers applauded. During the speech, Saenuri members clapped many times while opposition members remained silent. The rest of the address was devoted to pushing the National Assembly to pass a string of economic revitalization bills pending amid the political standoff, stressing Asias fourth-largest economy is showing signs of recovery, but the momentum will be lost unless those bills are passed. We have only rekindled embers (of recovery). It is very important to keep this momentum alive, she said. The government submitted a 357.7 trillion won (US$336 billion) budget for next year, up 4.6 percent from this year. Park said the government put the biggest focus of the budget on jump-starting the economy and creating jobs. Unless these bills are passed at a proper time, our economy, which is showing signs of recovery, may plunge again into the swamp of recession, she said. I earnestly ask for your cooperation in getting these bills passed through during the current parliamentary session. Park also pledged to clean up deep-rooted corruption at public firms and agencies while ensuring no taxpayer money is wasted at those agencies. She also said she will disclose all management information at public firms so that such agencies will reform themselves. On North Korea, Park said she will patiently seek to build trust and improve relations with Pyongyang. She held out the prospect of expanding economic cooperation with the impoverished communist nation if progress is made in the trust-building drive and efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff. I hope North Korea will keep its promises to the international community and step forward for dialogue and cooperation, she said. In that case, we can link Eurasian railways and open up the Sik Road Express that starts from Busan and runs through to Europe via Russia, China and Central Asia. Parks address marked the fourth time for a president to make a budget speech in person after former Presidents Roh Tae-woo in 1988, Roh Moo-hyun in 2003 and Lee Myung-bak in 2008. In other cases, the presidents have had their prime ministers read addresses on their behalf.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 04:33:26 +0000
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