EDNESDAY’S second rejection of the confirmation of a prime minister by the South Korean National Assembly has highlighted the deep conflict between the country’s two main parties.

　The prime ministerial nominee, Chang Dae-whan, followed his predecessor, Ewha Woman’s University President Chang Sang, vetoed by the parliament Wednesday without mercy in a 151-112 vote.

　The country again missed the chance to appoint a new premier since former Prime Minister Lee Han-dong was dismissed by President Kim Dae-jung in the cabinet shakeup of July 11.

　Chang Dae-whan, the former publisher-president of Maeil Business Daily, was questioned by lawmakers about alleged violation of several laws such as the Donation Tax Law, Inheritance Tax Law and National Health Insurance Law during the two day confirmation hearing.Before the vote, the country’s biggest opposition party, the Grand National Party (GNP), said several times that it doubted Chang was suitable for the country’s No. 2 administrative job.

　The GNP won an an absolute majority in the National Assembly in the August 8 by-elections with 139 seats in the 272-member unicameral parliament It defeated its old adversary the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) by 11-2 in an overwhelming result.

　Consequently, the rejection came as no surprise since the GNP took the initiative in the ballots. It decided at a general meeting before the vote to call on its affiliated lawmakers to vote down Chang’s confirmation.Although the pro-government party MDP, which was founded by President Kim Dae-jung, protested the GNP’s decision by walking out of the main assembly, it eventually went back with the awareness that it must accept that it can not turn the tide with only 113 seats in the assembly.

　The rejection is a sign that the already strained relations between the GNP and MDP have worsened, said some political observers.The confirmation motion may not have been timely, as the two main parties have been at odds over several issues, observers said.

　Chang’s confirmation motion was followed by a no-confidence motion on Justice Minister Kim Jung-kil, submitted by the GNP to Wednesday’s plenary session.The no-confidence motion was regarded as a counter-attack by the GNP to the MDP’s support for investigations into alleged draft-dodging scandals involving the two sons of GNP presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang and their allegedly dubious military exemptions.

　The GNP has accused Kim Jung-kil of supporting a senior prosecutor who allegedly encouraged an MDP legislator to raise the draft-dodging scandals in the parliament in March.The GNP described the investigations as a “political plot” by the MDP and the presidential office, and swore to pass the no-confidence motion.

　The two rival parties are expected to clash again over the no-confidence motion, since the MDP said it would block the passage of the bill by all means, including “physical means,” said its Chairmen Hahn Hwa-Kap last Saturday.

　The competition between the two parties has intensified as the presidential election draws near.It now appears that the GNP has the upper hand over the parliamentary by-elections, in the polls of reputations of the presidential candidates and the prime minister’s confirmation.

　　But it may be undermined by the second rejection of the prime ministerial nominee, with criticism coming from some parts of society over the partisan wrangling.There is no doubt that the MDP and President Kim Dae-jung were stung by the rejections.

　The MDP, already in disorder intensified by the defeat in the parliamentary by-elections and the controversial decision to create a new party, will see disorder deepen, prompting some factions to break away, observers said.

　　President Kim’s reputation has suffered with his two premier nominees being vetoed by the parliament. He now has to find another nominee as soon as possible with a greater degree of difficulty. (Xinhua)