박근혜 대통령은 17일 "야당에서 장외투 쟁을 고집하면서 민생을 외면한다면 국민적 저항에 부딪힐 것"이라며 "그리고 그 책 임 또한 야당이 져야할 것"이라고 말했다.
박 대통령은 이날 청와대에서 국무회의를 주재하면서 "저도 야당 대표로 활동했고 어려운 당을 일으켜 세운 적도 있지만 당의 목적을 위해 국민을 희생시키는 일은 하지 않았다"며 이같이 경고했다.
또 전날 3자회담 결렬을 의식한 듯 "정치가 국민을 위해 최선을 다하고 상생의 정치로 미래로 나아가기를 바랐는데 안타까운 마음"이라며 "야당이 정기국회가 시작 됐는데도 장외투쟁을 계속하면서 민생법안 심의를 거부한다면 그것은 결코 국민을 위한 정치가 아닐 것"이라고 지적했다.
박 대통령은 "국가정보원 문제로 또다시 장기간 장외투쟁을 하는 것이 과연 야당이 주장하는 것처럼 국민을 위하는, 또는 국민이 원하는 민의인지 동의할 수 없다 "며 "국회에서 선진화법을 제정하고 그것을 극단적으로 활용해 민생의 발목을 잡아서는 결코 안될 것"이라고 강조했다.
그러면서 "저는 대통령으로서 국가와 국민을 위해 최선의 노력을 하고 있고 남은 임기동안도 그럴 것"이라며 "민주주의는 국회가 국민을 위해 최선의 노력을 하고 의회민주주의를 회복하는 일"이라고 말했다.
박 대통령은 "야당이 대통령을 상대로 정책이나 현안을 끌고 나가려는 모습에서 벗어나 국회로 돌아와 여당과 모든 것을 논의하기 바란다"며 "국무위원들도 하루빨리 국회가 정상화돼 국민의 어려움을 덜어드릴 수 있도록 노력하고 경제활성화와 민생안정을 위한 중점법안 처리에 차질이 없도록 철저히 대비해달라"고 주문했다.
이정현 청와대 홍보수석도 국무회의 직후 브리핑에서 "새 정부 출범 이후 대통령은 국회의 기능을 강화하고 국회가 모든 권한을 부여받아 진행할 수 있도록 최대한 협력의 자세를 보여왔다"며 "그러나 어제 회담에서 민주당은 대통령의 사과를 계 속 강요하면서 국정최고책임자를 몰아세우는 진풍경을 보여줬다"고 지적했다.
이어 "그러면서 민주주의 위기를 말하는데 본인들의 의견이 반영 안됐다고 장외 투쟁을 강행하면서 국회와 국민을 무시하고 대통령과의 담판정치만 하겠다는 것이야 말로 민주주의의 위기이고 의회정치에도 위배되는 일"이라고 강조했다.
이 수석은 또 "국회선진화법을 통과시켜놓고 그것을 유명무실하게 방치하고 장외로 나가있는 야당에게 국회선진화법의 정의가 무엇인지 묻고 싶다"며 "민족의 최대 명절에 국민을 위한 국회가 본연의 임무를 다할 수 있도록 민주당을 국회로 돌아와 줄 것을 부탁드린다"고 덧붙였다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Park, DP set for drawn-out bout
By Choi He-suk
Parliamentary gridlock is likely to be prolonged after President Park Geun-hye and opposition leader Kim Han-gil failed Monday to narrow differences over sensitive issues involving the National Intelligence Service and the embattled prosecution chief.
Park issued a strong warning on Tuesday toward the opposition party over its continued street protests and boycott of the parliament.
“The opposition party will face people’s resistance if it sticks to struggle out of the National Assembly and continue ignoring the people’s livelihood issues,” Park said during a Cabinet meeting.
She criticized the Democratic Party taking hostage of the people’s interest for its political gain.
“I was once an opposition leader and raised my party from trouble but never did something that sacrificed people for the party’s purpose,” she said.
She called for the DP to return to the National Assembly to deal with legislation regarding the economy and welfare.
The remarks came one day after she held her first three-way talks with Kim and ruling Saenuri Party chairman Rep. Hwang Woo-yea.
The meeting, convened to resolve nearly two months of political stalemate, only worsened political tension and deepened mistrust between Park and the opposition party.
The DP said that the party will continue with its outdoor rallies in front of City Hall in Seoul.
Immediately after the talks, Kim said the meeting yielded “no right answers and that reviving democracy through talks with Park is hopeless.”
His chief aide Rep. Roh Woong-rae insinuated that none of the party’s aims were achieved.
The party hardened its rhetoric Tuesday warning of a long, full-fledged battle against the “undemocratic” Park administration.
“A full moon is approaching but the dark night of democracy is lengthening and the shadow over people’s lives is becoming thicker,” Kim said on Tuesday during a meeting with provincial government chiefs.
“The DP choice is now clear. Together with the people, we have to struggle our way with extraordinary resolve and commitment,” Jun Byung-hun, party floor leader added.
The government and the opposition has been at loggerheads for nearly two months over the National Intelligence Service’s alleged involvement in last year’s presidential election.
During Monday’s talks Kim demanded the president apologize for the NIS’ actions and guarantee the parliament the lead in reforming the spy agency.
In addition, Kim also called on the president to show “willingness to revive democracy” by uncovering the truth and punishing those involved in the issue.
As Park appears unlikely to apologize for developments, Kim has backed himself into a tight corner.
Park is said to have declined to answer Kim’s questions regarding the apology and other demands of the DP, sticking to her earlier position that she did not have a hand in NIS’ actions and that the DP should wait and see how related developments pan out.
The president and the ruling party’s unwaveringness, however, are not the only trouble facing Kim.
The DP has so far used the regular session of the National Assembly as a tool to further its street-campaign by refusing to hammer out the schedule for the 100-day session.
However, once the Chuseok holidays are over, more than a fifth of the session will have gone by, and the DP’s position will further be undermined should it refuse to take the session into full swing.
In addition, the DP chairman used the meeting to churn up the issue of the 2007 inter-Korean summit transcript, which had fallen below the surface for some time
The DP claims that major players within the Saenuri Party including Rep. Kim Moo-sung had access to the transcript during Park’s election campaign, and used its contents against Rep. Moon Jae-in.
The transcript, which has since been found missing, is said to contain late President Roh Moo-hyun’s words denying the validity of the Northern Limit Line to deceased North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
