Text Fwd: Lawmakers clash over 2011 budget 한국 국회 의원들, 20111년 예산으로 충돌

* Image and source: same as the link

'Opposition party lawmakers wage an intense battle with Grand National Party lawmakers as they occupy the chairman’s seat to block the 2011 budget at the National Assembly Dec. 7. (National Assembly photo pool)'

Hankyoreh
[News Briefing]
Lawmakers clash over 2011 budget

Lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties on Tuesday clashed physically over next year’s national budget plan and related bills as the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) attempted to railroad them on the night.

Some 40 lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) occupied the chairman’s seat and podium at the main National Assembly hall late at night to block the GNP lawmakers from entering parliamentary meetings. Lawmakers from opposition parties also waged a sit-in at the main lobby of the National Assembly.

Prior to this, GNP lawmakers unilaterally opened the Land and Maritime Affairs Committee meeting and submitted 92 bills, including ones aimed to speed up the Lee Myung-bak administration’s controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, inside a closed-door conference room.

The GNP will put the budget bill to voting in the plenary session till Thusday when the current session ends. But the DP has threatened to employ physical means to block its passage, demanding an extraordinary parliamentary session be held.