Feud Over Remarks by Health and Welfare Minister
Political parties have turned to a rage due to comments by Health and Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min concerning the outlook of the coming presidential election. He said yesterday, “There is a 99% possibility for the current major opposition party, GNP, to centralize power in the coming presidential election.”
The ruling Uri Party recently elected new leaders at a February 14 national convention of the party. Other congressmen, who resigned from Uri membership, are furious at his remark, saying, “Minister Rhyu is the very author of promoting the current crisis of the Uri Party.”
Won Hye-young from the Uri Party criticized Rhyu’s remarks yesterday at a comprehensive caucus, saying, “It is frustrating to hear his disappointing speech and behavior at the onset of new leadership of the Uri Party.” He went on to say, “It is also not desirable to express unfiltered defeatism.” He revealed his displeasure by adding, “As a member of the Uri Party, he did not take a prudent attitude, and his uncensored remark is one reason he does not receive faith from the public.”
In his appearance on a CBS radio show, Song Young-gil, floor leader of the Uri Party, also refuted Minister Rhyu’s remarks, saying, “Rather than predict it like an astrologer, he has to take full responsibility to do his utmost in a given situation. Whether the Uri Party wins the presidential election again or not is determined only by the public.”
In particular, the defectors have spoken in rage regarding Rhyu’s remark, “Those congressmen who resigned membership in the Uri Party may form a floor negotiation group in the National Assembly, but cannot form a new party." Yang Hyung-il made a cynical remark targeting minister Rhyu, criticizing, “We know he has run several one-man shows. Probably, he is eager to death to be a member of the opposition party.”
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 / 입력시간: 2007. 02.22. 08:47
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