Speaker to list ¡®low quality¡¯ lawmakers

National Assembly Speaker Lee Man-Sup has stirred up a controversy in the political arena by saying that he would make public the names of ¡°low quality¡± representatives and recommend that voters not vote for such persons.

Both the ruling and opposition parties are concerned about what the speaker meant by saying so. Speaker Lee said in an interview with Taejon Ilbo on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the daily¡¯s founding Monday, ¡°I will announce the list of lawmakers lacking quality and appeal to the people not to elect such persons. I also will make public the names of lawmakers who utter curses in the plenary or standing committee sessions.

¡°The announcement (of the list) will be impossible with the election near at hand. I will announce the list midway so that it cannot violate the election law.¡±

Such remarks by Speaker Lee came while a controversy erupted over the quality of lawmakers following a series of vulgar words during the recent parliamentary inspection of the administration.

His remarks sparked a mixed reaction from the political world. Some politicians were saucy, saying the speaker seemed to be very ambitious, while others came up with a positive response, noting that he made accurate remarks irrespective of their possibility for being materialized.

Leaders of each party were reluctant on the whole to give weight to Lee¡¯s remarks.¡°I don¡¯t believe Lee made such remarks,¡± Rep. Suh Young-Hoon, chairman of the ruling Democratic Millennium Party, said.

Rep. Kwon Chul-Hyeon, spokesman for the opposition Grand National Party, said, ¡°It is up to voters whether to expel politicians or not.¡±

Some lawmakers say now is the time to discuss taking disciplinary measures against lawmakers of low quality, although the issue should not be connected to their election.

Rep. Song Kwang-Ho, chairman of the National Assembly Special Committee on Ethics said: ¡°I totally agree with Lee¡¯s remarks that the Assembly should let the people know of lawmakers¡¯ quality. The Ethics Committee also plans to conduct a poll about lawmakers¡¯ activities toward the end of this year and to cite lawmakers who conduct a good interpolation.¡±

As his remarks gave rise to such a controversy, Speaker Lee explained, ¡°I intended to advise lawmakers to be careful in their remarks that might cause disputes, while encouraging those who work well, in order to operate the National Assembly in a more productive way. I don¡¯t mean that I will announce the list without fail.¡±

Referring to his remarks in the interview that the electoral precincts of Taejon and South Chungchong Province should be merged into one or two large constitutional formulae, in which about 20 lawmakers are elected in one constituency in order to hold an election that cost little money, the speaker said that his remarks represent his usual belief.

Lee Chol-Hi klimt@donga.com