GNP to Demand Assembly Consent to Inter-Korean Agreements

GNP to Demand Assembly Consent to Inter-Korean Agreements. August. 13, 2007 07:08. ditto@donga.com.

The Grand National Party (GNP) decided to thoroughly verify agreements to be reached with North Korea at the second inter-Korean summit meeting through the process of confirmation by the National Assembly.

The GNP also decided to ask the government to make public the agenda, discussion procedure, and results of the summit meeting.

Even if the leaders of the two Koreas agree, inter-Korean agreements could nullify without the Assembly consent in accordance with the Inter-Korea Relation Development Act established in December 2005. For this reason, it appears that Assembly consent will play a decisive factor in the summit talks.

In a phone interview with the Dong-A Ilbo, GNP floor leader Kim Hyung-oh said, “We are concerned that a series of inter-Korean agreements could impose a heavy financial burden on people of South Korea, including the ministries already planning massive aid for the North,” and added that unlike the 2000 inter-Korea summit meeting, the government should obtain Assembly consent this time around, since the law clearly mentions the need for Assembly consent. He noted, “The president’s chief of staff Moon Jae-in and I talked about [the above] in a phone call after the announcement of the summit meeting plan, and Cheong Wa Dae promised to comply with the law.”