South Korea's opposition parties on Tuesday urged the presidential office to support a controversial bill that will enable parliament to open hearings more often, adding that the move will not lead to disruptions in state affairs as claimed by the government.
The remarks came amid speculation that President Park Geun-hye may veto the controversial bill. Park is expected to determine whether or not to endorse the bill after she returns home from her overseas trip.
The revision to the National Assembly Act, which was passed last week, was handed over to the government for final review and presidential endorsement.
Earlier this week, Lee Suk-joon, the top official in charge of government policy coordination at the Prime Minister's Office, called the bill "very worrisome," stressing that the revision would restrict state affairs "very much."
"If (Park) rejects the bill, parliament will stage a veto against the administration," said Woo Sang-ho, the floor leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea. "The bill is not an issue that can be refused by Cheong Wa Dae."
Park Jie-won, floor leader of the minor opposition People's Party, echoed the view, adding that the implementation of the bill is an opportunity to bring orders to civil servants.
"If the ruling Saenuri proposes a veto to the president on the law that comes out of agreement, the move will distort the parliamentary process," he added.
The latest tension surrounding the bill came under the spotlight as the government has been struggling to reach a broad understanding with the opposition parties in the past several weeks.
Earlier this month, the president had vowed to hold regular talks with local party leaders in a symbolic gesture to expand communications with opposition parties following the ruling party's defeat in the April 13 polls.
Sources said the ruling Saenuri Party has started a study to find constitutional flaws in the latest bill.
The opposition parties, meanwhile, joined forces in protesting against the government's move to promote what it calls a performance-based payment system for both public and private companies.
The policy, advocated for by the government, aims to boost labor flexibility and create more jobs for youth.
Woo said the government's bid to conduct checks on firms adopting the performance-based payment system can be seen as a move to force companies to accept the new policy.
The People's Party also claimed that wage-related polices should be decided by workers and companies, and not via a unilateral decision by the government. (Yonhap)
