Rep. Kim Won-kil and Park Sang-gyu Joining GNP

Rep. Kim Won-kil and Rep. Park Sang-gyu, who defected from the pro-government Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) joined the Grand National Party (GNP) on Nov. 26.

In a news conference, they counted the incoming government’s ability for national management as the most important, saying they wanted to contribute to national development by helping the most stable and reliable candidate, Lee Hoi-chang of the GNP.

As Rep. Lee In-je of the MDP is highly likely to join the GNP sooner or later, many politicians are expected to change their parties in the run-up to the presidential election.

As for the two departing party members, Lee Nak-yeon, MDP spokesman, said, "Mr. Lee’s coming into power should be prevented. Those who leveled criticism against Mr. Lee and asked for the single candidacy are now joining the GNP as soon as the unified candidate has been chosen. We feel pity for their ungratefulness."

Against this backdrop, a group of lawmakers who had promoted the single candidacy between Roh Moo-hyun of the MDP and Chung Mong- joon of National Alliance 21 met on that day and 12 lawmakers including Kim Young-bae, Lee yun-su and Chang Seong-won decided to return to the MDP.

Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com