새정부 출범을 하루 앞둔 24일, 여야는 정부조직법 개편안 처리를 놓고 난항을 거듭하고 있다

정부조직법개편안이 통과가 늦어지면서 박근혜 당선인의 대통령 취임 후 개편안이 통과되는 초유의 사태가 불가피해졌다.

새누리당과 민주당은 몇 주간 협상을 벌였지만 방송관련 업무를 새로 생기는 미래창조과학부로 넘기자는 여당의 입장과, 방송공정성을 위해 방송통신위원회에 남겨야 한다는 야당의 입장차이를 줄이지 못했다.

박기춘 민주당 원내대표는 “민주당은 협상 타결을 위해 양보하고 인내하며 노력해 왔다“며 ”협상에 진전이 없는 것은 박근혜 당선인의 결재정치, 불통정치, 나홀로 정치의 책임이 크다“고 밝혔다.

새누리당은 일요일 오후 긴급회의를 열어 비보도방송 관련 부분만 미창부로 이전하는 절충안을 내놨다.

황우여 원내대표는 “오는 2월26일에는 총리 인준 절차와 정부조직법 의결이 꼭 이뤄져야 한다”고 야당에 재차 촉구했다.

황 대표는 그러면서 “야당이 비보도 방송을 미래창조부에서 통신과 융합해 관장할 수 있도록 해준다면 새누리당은 추가로 방통위가 독립 업무를 수행할 수 있도록 방통위의 법적 지위를 중앙행정기관으로 격상키겠다“고 제안했다.

(코리아헤럴드 최희석 기자)





<관련 영문 기사>

Discord in parliament holds back full launch of Park government

By Choi He-suk

The ruling Saenuri Party and the Democratic United Party continued to wrangle over President Park Geun-hye’s government reorganization plans on Sunday, the day before the presidential inauguration.

With the two sides failing to reach an agreement, Park became the first president to be inaugurated before receiving parliamentary approval for government reorganization.

Despite last minute efforts, parties stumbled on the matter of which body will be put in charge of broadcasting-related issues.

The Saenuri Party is of the position that related matters should be handled by the new Science Ministry, while the DUP is calling for the Korea Communications Commission to be put in charge to ensure unbiased policies.

“(Transferring related functions to the science ministry) will affect fairness of broadcasts, and that (broadcasting companies’) independence should not be damaged, we cannot compromise,” DUP floor leader Park Ki-choon said Sunday, saying that his party has yielded on a number of issues.

For its part, the Saenuri Party suggested transferring the KCC’s broadcasting-related duties concerning non-news programs to the science ministry, saying that complete separation of telecommunication- and broadcasting-related functions is “moving against the times.”

“If the opposition party allows the ministry of future creation and science ministry to oversee non-news broadcasting- and communication-issues together, (the Saenuri Party) will raise the KCC’s status to that of a central administrative body,” Saenuri Party leader Hwang Woo-yea said.

With the approval for the revised Government Organization Act still pending, the Cabinet will continue to be filled by the ministers who served under former President Lee Myung-bak.

Under Park’s government reorganization plans, the Ministry of Future, Creation and Science and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs will be newly established.

The trade-related functions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be transferred to the new Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources. In addition, the Ministry of Strategy and Finance will be headed by the deputy prime minister for economy. The parties’ disagreement over the Government Organization Act and related issues has also led to delays in the crucial parliamentary confirmation hearing for ministerial nominees.

The hearings for the nominees for ministries newly established or reorganized under the Park Geun-hye administration have yet to be scheduled as their positions do not legally exist until the Government Organization Act is approved by the National Assembly.

The ministries affected are the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Resources, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the new Science Ministry.

In addition, with ministerial confirmation hearing process taking about 20 days, it will be some time until the nominees for existing ministries can take office.

The hearings for nominees for ministries unaffected by the planned changes will begin on Wednesday.

(cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)