Fourth defector from MDP helps ULD form floor negotiating group

After restoring its coalition with the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), the splinter United Liberal Democrats (ULD) registered as a floor negotiation group Wednesday thanks to the decision of another MDP lawmaker to change parties.

Earlier in the day, Rep. Chang Che-shik bolted from the MDP to join the ULD, bringing to 20 the total number of the lawmakers in the party and thus allowing it to qualify as parliamentary negotiating body. Last week, the addition of the first three MDP lawmakers qualified the ULD to become a floor negotiation body, but it soon came up short again when Rep. Kang Chang-Hee, then vice president of the ULD, strongly opposed the move and was expelled from the party.

MDP spokesman Rep. Kim Young-Hwan told reporters, ¡°Rep. Chang made his decision (to move to the ULD) through close consultation with the party leadership. We think that Kim made this important decision in his sincere desire to establish political stability and help the national economy take another leap forward,¡± the spokesman said.

A high-ranking official in the ruling party said, ¡°If another MDP lawmakers hadn't transferred to the ULD, the courageous action of the three lawmakers who already changed their party affiliation might have come to nothing. The addition of a fourth MDP lawmaker (to the ULD) was unavoidable in order to attain a political stability through the restored coalition between the two ruling parties,¡± he said.

Prior to its registration as a new negotiating body, the ULD convened a caucus of its lawmakers, including newcomer Rep. Chang, to get their signatures of approval for the move. The necessary procedures were completed at the National Assembly Secretariat.

The ULD¡¯s new status increased to three the number of floor negotiation groups, the other two being the MDP and the opposition Grand National Party (GNP). The GNP¡¯s strong opposition to the ULD¡¯s strategy for achieving its new status is expected to further strain relations between the ruling and opposition camps.