By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter


Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan apologized Tuesday over his disparaging remarks about the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) in a bid to stabilize the National Assembly, which has been crippled for the past 13 days.

``I sincerely deliver my apology for causing the delay in the National Assembly session,’’ Lee said in the statement. ``I hope to see the nation’s parliament normalized as early as possible.’’

In the statement read by his spokesman Lee Kang-jin, the premier expressed ``deep regrets’’ for the stalled National Assembly session at a time when the nation is facing a number of urgent issues at home and abroad.

The apology came a day after National Assembly Speaker Kim Won-ki proposed that Lee apologize to achieve a breakthrough in the parliamentary shutdown, caused by the premier labeling the opposition party as a party of bribes during an interpellation session late last month. The GNP has boycotted the parliamentary session and demanded an apology from Lee.

In response, the GNP accepted the apology, but said it will decide whether to return to the National Assembly session in a party meeting Wednesday.

``Though the Prime Minister’s statement falls short of our expectations, we think it was proper for him to apologize,’’ GNP spokesman Yim Tae-hee said.

In particular, the GNP seemed dissatisfied as Lee did not actually mention the opposition party’s name in the statement and did not deliver it to the party.

Meanwhile, the Uri Party welcomed Lee’s apology, urging the GNP to come back to the parliamentary session immediately.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr