Leaders of four opposition parties agreed yesterday to launch a joint front to impeach Prime Minister Chung Un-chan for leading the move to revise the Sejong City development project.

A statement released after their breakfast meeting said, "We will strengthen cooperation to protect the nation's Constitution and democracy."

The meeting was attended by Democratic Party Chairman Chung Sye-kyun, Democratic Labor Party head Kang Ki-gab, Song Young-oh, acting president of the Renewal of Korea Party, and Roh Hoi-chan of the New Progressive Party.

They are expected to submit a motion calling for the dismissal of the prime minister to the National Assembly as soon as the series of government interpellation sessions end tomorrow.

Over one third of the current 297 lawmakers must sign the motion to put it to a floor vote during a plenary session.

More than half of them, or 149 legislators, should vote in favor within the 72 hours of submission for it to be passed.

In most cases, the president must act accordingly if the bill gets the green light from the Assembly.

"Our party shared views with the main opposition Democratic Party last week to submit the prime minister's impeachment bill as early as this Thursday immediately after the completion of government interpellations," said minor opposition Liberty Forward Party floor leader Ryu Keun-chan.

DP floor leader Lee Kang-rae, however, said the party will collect the opinions of its lawmakers at a general meeting today and make its final decision on the submission at a later date.

The opposition parties' early submission of the bill is an effort geared toward strengthening the public's negative perception surrounding the government's new proposal on Sejong City, especially during the upcoming Lunar New Year's holidays.

Although they are not expecting the faction loyal to former Grand National Party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye within the ruling party to take part in the bill submission stage, the opposition parties hope they will approve the bill at the plenary session.

While most ruling party lawmakers grouped in the pro-Park faction are keeping mum or neglecting their participation in the floor vote, GNP lawmaker Lee Sung-hun said yesterday that he believes "it's appropriate to unseat the incompatible prime minister even for President Lee Myung-bak."

Rep. Lee Jung-hyun of the GNP, a close aide to the former party chairwoman, however, said submitting a bill demanding Chung's resignation are only claims that could be made by the opposition, and that such a measure has never been reviewed within the pro-Park faction.

(sharon@heraldm.com)

By Cho Ji-hyun

2010.02.09