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Roh`s Opponent to Break Away

Posted August. 16, 2002 22:01,   

한국어

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) held a joint meeting of lawmakers and party chapter heads on the 16th to discuss the creation of a new party, but failed to reach an agreement due to the difference in opinions between supporters and opponents of Roh My-hyun, MDP presidential candidate.

In this meeting, Roh dismissed the demand of his opponents that he resign as the presidential candidate before the creation of a new party. Protesting Roh`s position, Ahn Dong-sun, one of his opponents declared his breakaway from the party, accelerating the internal dispute.

Also independent lawmaker Chung Mong-jun said in a press conference that he would create his own party. With his position set, it appears that not only the existing parties such as the Grand National Party (GNP), the MDP and the Democratic Labor Party but also one or two new parties will compete for presidency.

After demanding the resignation of Roh and Han Hwa-gap, MDP chairman in the joint meeting, Rep. Ahn Dong-sun said he would quit the party, saying, "The MDP is being led by a force that wages political maneuvering to protect its vested rights."

Rep Lee Geun-jin, another opponent of Roh said in a statement, "If Roh and the party leadership do not resign, I will get my way by collection opinions of my constituencies," indicating he might withdraw from the party.

Anti-Roh lawmakers plan to step up their offensive toward Roh by collecting signatures of Roh`s opponents starting from the 19th.

In the meantime, Roh said in an opening speech in the meeting that he apologized the crushing defeats in the previous two elections. But he dismissed the demand of his opponents, saying, "It is absurd for them to demand my resignation."

Roh also said, "If their demand is to weaken my position in the party, it is too arrogant. If their demand is to uphold an outside political figure as the new presidential candidate, it is too dangerous and irresponsible. Fight for power should be proceeded by the rule and we should put the internal feud to an end and accelerate out effort to establish a new party."

The party`s moderates including party chairman Han emphasized the importance of getting united, and some of them demand that the party promote the creation of a new party under the command of a special council after the current leadership resign.

Meanwhile, participants of the meeting adopted a statement criticizing the draft-dodging scandal involving the son of GNP presidential candidate Lee Hoi-chang, and urged Lee to resign as presidential candidate, citing that the draft-dodging scandal is turning out to be true.



Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com