New floor leaders vow to use ‘politics of cooperation’

The new Grand National Party and Democratic Party floor leaders met Monday to exchange congratulatory messages, as well as edgy remarks over controversial issues.

Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, who was elected DP floor leader on Friday, paid a courtesy visit Monday to Rep. Hwang Woo-yea of the GNP.

Hwang is also acting as a proxy for the party leader whose seat will be vacant until early July.

“I am glad on behalf of our party that an experienced and insightful man has taken over the floor leader post,” said Hwang.

He also suggested that the two parties cooperate while promoting their respective political causes.

“The ruling party has recently made moves to accommodate opinions from various groups, including the DP, and this is a positive sign,” DP floor leader Kim said in response.

“Our predecessors showed us how to display tolerance in politics and I believe that we may follow suit, especially because I trust and respect Rep. Hwang.”

The former floor leaders, the GNP’s Kim Moo-sung and Park Jie-won of the DP, are recognized for their negotiation skills and peaceful inter-party communications.

The newly-elected Hwang and Kim have also have a years-long relationship, having spent several years together in the parliamentary education committee.

The two also chatted about the meaning of their names.

“My name means ‘fulfilling duties and protecting the law,’ which I intend to abide by,” said Rep. Hwang.

Kim pledged to win support from within the opposition as his party’s floor leader.

But the pair aimed some hidden punches at each other over disputed issues.

“It is the general consensus within our party that we should step up the level of surveillance of the faults of the Lee Myung-bak administration and the ruling party,” said Kim.

But he pledged to cooperate with the GNP if it sufficiently accommodated opposition parties’ views.

“The ruling party may easily miss on the voices of the minority but we will be sure to respect the views and opinions of the opposition parties during the last remaining year of the present assembly,” Hwang responded.

“It is up to the people to judge us for our performance at the end of the term.”

The GNP floor leader also visited other minority liberal party leaders in the afternoon.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)