[Editorial] Jung-Park Party Summit Talk Should Be First Step toward “Livelihood”

Jung Dong-young, chief of the leading Open Uri Party, and Park Kuen-hye, chief of the major opposition Grand National Party, will meet on May 3. People have high expectations for the first party summit talk following the general election. The talk should be the first step in expunging any distrust or antagonism incurred thus far and stepping up to reciprocal, lively politics.

The most important thing right now is getting along. Considering the lack of economic prosperity and livelihood stability, any reformation will seem void. This talk should readdress these points. With this in mind, the two parties should start taking action rather than idly talking. Measures such as the “establishment of leading-opposition-government cooperative body for the pending problems of economy and livelihood,” as suggested at the preparatory meeting for the summit talk, exemplify the tendency to talk rather than take action.

Among the 50 economic and livelihood-related legislation bills scheduled to be reviewed by the Open Uri Party at the new Parliament within the next month are about 30 bills that are supported by the Grand National Party. If the two party leaders open their minds to productive discussion, all of these bills can be passed through mutual cooperation and productive conversation.

The very structure of our political world has been immensely altered in the wake of the general election. The leading party has won the majority for 18 years, and the leading and opposition parties are confused about their identity due to the advance of the progressionists into Parliament. At this moment, the leadership roles are crucial. They should organize their respective parties and bring about appropriate solutions for pending problems in national administration.

Can these two leaders draft this sort of leadership at the upcoming talk? Do they really have the open minds required to break down dissenting views and track a proper alternative to breach the void? If they believe in their power of decision are they brave enough to follow through with their political goals despite the fact that some people are opposed to their opinions? These are important reasons for the people to focus on this talk. I hope that the two leaders can provide relief for the whole country and allow the people to anchor their hopes on the political world once again by having a successful talk.