Bipartisan strife drags on due to row over systems operators . MARCH 14, 2013 02:37. . Two weeks has passed since the inauguration of the new administration in South Korea, but the latter remains a “prematurely born baby.”

Despite the mounting crisis due to North Korea’s nuclear test and threat to launch aggression, South Korea faces a prolonged government stalemate in operations as Kim Jang-soo, the nominee for chief of the National Security Office under the presidential office, has yet to receive his credentials. This is because of the failure to find a breakthrough in negotiations over a bill to reshuffle the government`s organizational structure as of Wednesday, the 42nd day after the ruling and opposition parties and the presidential office began an unprecedented fierce dispute.

Both parties again failed to narrow differences over the proposed transfer of the broadcasting function, the final contentious issue. The core element of this debate is whether to transfer oversight of systems operators from the Korea Communications Commission to the new Future Creation and Science Ministry.

The ruling Saenuri Party suggests that broadcast affairs, including systems operators, be transferred to the new ministry under the condition that broadcast fairness be guaranteed through a parliamentary special committee. The main opposition Democratic United Party is countering it. The opposition party demanded that systems operators be kept under the commission`s control for fear of government control of broadcasting, and measures be found to galvanize information and communication technology.

President Park Geun-hye urged again the National Assembly to approve the bill to reshuffle government organization, the third straight day she did so this week. In a luncheon meeting with the nation’s elder statesmen at the presidential office Wednesday, she said, “I feel deep regret over the claim that the government seeks to control broadcasting. Our politics is still unable to place people at the center,” blasting the opposition party.

The country seems trapped in a tough situation in which the president and the ruling and opposition parties are entangled in an endless dispute over a technical matter to be handled by a single division of a ministry. This is something ordinary people find it hard to understand in the early days of an administration, which should present its direction and vision of governance and operate the new government in full swing. Social patience seems to have reached a limit due to the prolonged political dispute over a matter that is not necessarily related to the people’s livelihood, said Kang Won-taek, a political science professor at Seoul National University. A key lawmaker with the pro-Park faction of the ruling party said, “Even lawmakers except for those engaged in negotiations don`t understand what the key elements of the dispute are. Even by accepting several of the opposition party`s demands, the new administration should be normalized as soon as possible.” Democratic United Party Rep. Kim Young-hwan said, “This is an issue that the public would be sick of and angry at."

Experts have suggested that if the rival parties cannot make practical progress in their negotiations, they should deliberate on the bill to revise government organization based on elements agreed on so far, while excluding the systems operators matter, which constitutes the most contentious issue. If the normalization of the administration is further delayed, the country could lose national momentum to cope with pending issues, including the global economic slump and North Korea’s nuclear standoff.