PARTIES CLASH AT INTERPELLATION SESSION

[Anchor Lead]

An interpellation session of the first National Assembly regular session taking place under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration kicked off Monday. On the first day, rival parties clashed over political issues including the now-scrapped plan to build a new state guest house as well as the ongoing investigation into the main opposition leader and a special counsel probe request for the first lady. Meanwhile Prime Minister Han Duck-soo apologized to the public regarding controversial personnel appointments of senior government officials.

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The very first issue rival parties clashed over was the new state guest house plan which has now been scrapped. The main opposition Democratic Party criticized the government for slashing public livelihood-related budgets while stashing funds to construct a presidential reception hall.

[Soundbite] Seo Young-kyo(Democratic Party) : "Did you know about the KRW 87.8 bn budget to build a new state guest house? Were you unaware?"

[Soundbite] Han Duck-soo(Prime Minister) : "I saw it in the newspapers. Upon being briefed, the President also voiced the need to immediately withdraw the plan."

The ruling People Power Party defended the plan saying there is no country in the world that does not have a formal guest house to host dignitaries.

[Soundbite] Lee Yong-ho(People Power Party) : "Having a guest house is a matter of state dignity. Isn't it necessary?"

[Soundbite] Han Duck-soo(Prime Minister) : "That's why the budget was requested to build such a state facility."

Regarding DP leader Lee Jae-myung who is currently under investigations, the opposition called it a political crackdown while the ruling bloc justified the probe as looking into alleged crimes.

[Soundbite] Kim Hoi-jae(Democratic Party) : "It appears prosecution probes are sweeping through the political arena for crackdown purposes."

[Soundbite] Han Dong-hoon(Minister of Justice) : "A former senior prosecutor yourself, you would know better than anyone else that is far from the truth."

[Soundbite] Kim Hoi-jae(Democratic Party) : "I am a former prosecutor and it doesn't appear that way."

[Soundbite] Han Dong-hoon(Minister of Justice) : "You are wrong."

The ruling PPP meanwhile criticized a bill calling for a special counsel probe into first lady Kim Keon-hee as the DP's strategy to distract attention from Lee Jae-myung's investigations. The PPP instead aimed its focus squarely at the previous Moon Jae-in administration citing disputes surrounding the nuclear phaseout policy, martial law document scandal and illegalities in solar power projects.

[Soundbite] Suh Byung-soo(People Power Party) : "Irregularities in solar projects appear to be an energy gate scandal. Shouldn't the gov't look into it?"

[Soundbite] Han Duck-soo(Prime Minister) : "We are compiling facts and plan to request an investigation."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also apologized to the public over contentious appointments and the unsuccessful bids for Cabinet nominees saying he is also partially responsible.