Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Tuesday, January 6, 2009 2:05 pm TWN, AP



	Chung Se-kyun, head of the opposition Democratic Party, center, delivers a speech during a news conference about ending a 12-day occupation at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. (AP) Enlarge Photo

Sponsors
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.

S.Korea's opposition ends parliamentary occupation

SEOUL, South Korea -- Opposition lawmakers pulled out of the South Korean parliament's main hall Tuesday, ending a 12-day occupation aimed at blocking the ruling party from ramming through contentious bills, including a free trade pact with the U.S.

Legislators from the main opposition Democratic Party took control of the hall on Dec. 26 and camped out there, fending off attempts by parliamentary security guards to clear them away during violent scuffles.

On Tuesday, Rep. Chung Se-kyun, head of the Democratic Party, told a news conference the siege was ended because there was no longer concern that the ruling party would ram through bills. Chung said the parliamentary speaker promised not to do so.

The ruling Grand National Party, which controls parliament with 172 seats in the 299-seat assembly, had planned to pass some 80 bills before the end of the parliamentary session Thursday. But the plan fell through in the face of the opposition siege.

"We have safeguarded parliamentary democracy," Chung said, flanked by other lawmakers in front of the hall.

Chung also apologized to the nation "for what happened because of the sit-in," referring to the violence that erupted. "The Democratic Party hopes there won't be a situation where we cannot help but make this choice again," he said.

Last month, opposition lawmakers used sledgehammers to pound their way into a committee room where ruling party lawmakers were meeting to introduce the bill to ratify the U.S. free trade pact.

The opposition says the deal should not be approved until President Lee Myung-bak's government works out measures to protect farmers, laborers and others who are expected to suffer from a surge in imports from the U.S.

Another point of dispute is a GNP-sponsored bill aimed at easing restrictions on businesses and newspapers owning broadcast stations. Critics say the bill would help large pro-government newspapers and companies establish television stations, and give the Lee government too much leverage with broadcasters.

The move Tuesday came amid reports that the rival parties were making progress in negotiations over how to deal with contentious bills, including the accord with the U.S. Details of discussions were not known.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here