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By Im In-tack　

Grand National Party (GNP) Chairman Hong Joon-pyo has embarked upon a “pro-working class journey,” making visits to the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) on July 14 his first official events since assuming the party leadership.

“There is no conservative and no progressive when it comes to policies for the working class,” said Hong during an afternoon visit to the PSPD. “The right thing to do is work together to solve North-South Korean problem, starting with working class policies.”

This marks the first time a GNP chairman has visited the PSPD, which was founded in 1994. Hong held a seminar with the PSPD last year when he was chairman of a special committee on working class issues, and passed a bill on co-prosperity between large corporations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that was suggested by the PSPD.

“I will also reflect any good policies that you suggest in government policy in future,” said Hong. The PSPD requested that Hong provide information on the GNP’s stance regarding matters of public livelihood such as lowering university tuition fees, problematically high housing key money, and the labor issues at Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC), and the party’s solutions for the August session of the National Assembly. Hong said his party would work to get a bill on upper limits to rent passed at the coming parliamentary session. “This meeting took place on the suggestion of Mr. Hong,” said Park Won-suk, deputy secretary-general of PSPD. “The mood was a peaceful one, but we did not agree on many things.”

Earlier, on a visit to the FKTU‘s headquarters, Hong requested a partnership with FKTU’s Chairman Lee Yong-deuk. “Welfare is about freedom for the rich and opportunities for the poor. That is the direction in which labor policy must go, too. Will you be our partner?” Lee was elected early this year on a manifesto pledge to “break existing policy cooperation with the Grand National Party.”

Earlier still, at a discussion to which he was invited by the “Kwanhun Club,” a society of veteran reporters, on the morning of July 14 at Seoul Press Center, Hong said, “Welfare will be the biggest issue at next year‘s presidential election. I will play the role of a midwife so that the Grand National Party can be reborn as a political party for the working classes. I will roll my sleeves up and get to work solving policy issues for the sake of the working class, such as stabilizing prices, creating jobs, dealing with the problems of irregular employment and saving SMEs and entrepreneurs.”

Regarding Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon’s referendum on free school lunches, Hong gave a first hint of political compromise, saying, “I think providing school lunches is the right thing to do, but I cannot tell him not to hold a referendum. The party leadership has decided to decide upon its stance at a separate meeting.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]