The ruling and minor opposition parties on Tuesday reaffirmed convening the June extraordinary parliamentary session as planned and put the National Assembly back to work amid the main opposition party’s last minute withdrawal.

“Liberty Korea Party has turned away from coexistence and chose to take the arrogant, self-righteous and destructive path. They have betrayed the public’s calls for normalization of the National Assembly,” said Lee In-young, floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party. 

Lee stressed parliamentary committees and meetings will be resumed based on the agreement of the three floor leaders-- including main opposition’s Na Kyung-won and Bareunmirae Party’s Oh Shin-hwan-- made earlier in the week.

In an unexpected last minute move, Liberty Korea Party pulled out of the deal, claiming the agreement is no longer valid and a new one should be made.

“Now that the agreement between the three main and opposition parties is invalid, (we) will renegotiate with the Democratic Party. It should generously renegotiate as a responsible ruling party,” said Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na Kyung-won.

The pull out was the latest in the main opposition’s series of hawkish moves largely responsible for the 80-day deadlock at the National Assembly.

Minor opposition Bareunmirae Party floor leader Oh Shin-hwan, who had played the role of a moderator between the ruling and main opposition parties, slammed the main opposition party, presenting it with a take or leave it option.

“Liberty Korea Party is solely responsible for the impasse at the National Assembly. The Liberty Korea Party is now left with either returning to the National Assembly unconditionally or fighting outside the parliament until the session ends,” Oh said. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)