Advertisement

South Korea's major opposition party calls for firing unification minister

By Wooyoung Lee
Members of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), led by their interim chief Kim Byong-joon (L, front row) and floor leader Kim Sung-tae (R, front row), hold protest signs at their meeting in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2018, denouncing the government's unilateral push to have the inter-Korean summit agreement ratified by the parliament. Photo by Yonhap
Members of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), led by their interim chief Kim Byong-joon (L, front row) and floor leader Kim Sung-tae (R, front row), hold protest signs at their meeting in Seoul on Sept. 10, 2018, denouncing the government's unilateral push to have the inter-Korean summit agreement ratified by the parliament. Photo by Yonhap

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- South Korea's major opposition Liberty Korea Party has submitted a request to National Assembly to fire a minister in charge of North Korea-related affairs, saying the minister pushed ahead inter-Korean projects that could cause a financial burden to the country.

The LKP criticized Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, who they said abused authority and misappropriated state fund.

Advertisement

"He had 86 million won ($75,500) approved to refurbish the North-South Korea liaison office in July. However, he spent 100 times more than he initially requested. This is a misappropriation of the state budget and abuse of authority," a party official was quoted as saying in a Chosun Ilbo report.

The LKP said that while the Panmunjom Declaration, agreed between North and South Korea leaders in a summit in April, is still pending for approval at National Assembly, Cho pushed ahead railway and expressway projects with the North that would require a massive amount of state fund.

It said Cho's administrative decisions cause a financial burden on the state and its people, which is eligible for a cause to be fired, according to the Constitution.

The LKP has protested South Korea's President Moon Jae-in's decision to ratify the Pyongyang Declaration that includes future inter-Korean cooperation and exchanges, signed between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a summit in September, without a parliamentary approval.

Advertisement

The government earlier pursued a parliamentary ratification for the agreement. However, the Ministry of Government Legislation concluded that it doesn't need a parliamentary approval.

The Panmunjom Declaration, signed at the first summit between Moon and Kim in April, was submitted to the National Assembly for ratification but has been pending due to oppositions by the LKP.

Latest Headlines