By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The pro-government and main opposition parties expressed opposing views regarding an agreement over the extension of retirement age of low-ranking government officials.
The agreement was made on Friday between the government and the Korean Government Employees' Union (KGEU).
The decision faced backlash among the public as the retirement age extension is seen as a measure to protect the vested interest of government officials, often called the "iron rice bowl."
The term of the iron rice bowl was coined to refer to the guaranteed lifetime employment of government employees, indicating self-serving government bureaucracy.
The United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and minor parties welcomed the agreement.
UNDP spokesman Choi Jae-sung said that the agreement is positive because there is a discrepancy in retirement age between high-ranking and low-ranking government officials and this was a policy problem.
Current retirement age of low-ranking government employees is 57, while that of high-ranking officials is 60.
``The extension of retirement age in the public sector will have an impact on the private sector, and this move is very positive because it will help secure jobs for workers in an era of aging society,'' Rep. Choi commented.
The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) said the party lawmakers will closely look at the details of the bill and approve it if the bill is handed over to the parliament.
The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), however, said the retirement age issue should be discussed in the next government along with other related issues such as the government structure and the size of government employees.
``It was inappropriate for the outgoing government to agree with the labor union to extend the retirement age,'' party spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said.
Rep. Na said political consideration is behind the pro-government party's commitment as the presidential election is three days away.
Clarifying that it is his personal opinion, GNP chief policymaker Rep. Lee Han-koo said the extension of retirement age is inappropriate because the outgoing government was not supposed to make a commitment of that kind of issue entailing budget.
The government and the KGEU agreed on the extension of current retirement age but did not clarify the age ceiling.
The retirement age will be effective only after the National Assembly approved the relevant bill.
Political observers said the bill is not likely to be discussed during this year's assembly session as the lawmakers would feel pressed in making clear their stance on the bill before Wednesday's election.