Power Struggle Continues within Ruling Party

As a fierce power struggle is intensifying within the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, its future course of action is likely to draw a new political map. It is also expected that a sweeping political realignment will be in full swing as the discussion of an alliance between MDP reformers and outside figures aim to form a new party.

There are around 50 moderates among the 101 MDP members, excluding 31 members taking part in a preparatory committee for a new party and 20 members who are against the breakup of the ruling party.

While its reform-minded lawmakers are going all out to create a new party, others have conveyed their objection to a constructive dissolution of the ruling party, and declared their willingness to stay.

For now, moderates against a breakup of the MDP outnumber those in favor of forming a new party. However, should the MDP breakup, there is a good chance that moderates in the Seoul constituencies will join the mainstream faction pushing for the formation of a new party.

MDP lawmakers, including Rep. Kim Sang-hyun, Cho Soon-hyung, and Chu Mi-ae, who had joined a campaign to gather signatures of lawmakers against a breakup, held a meeting with Han Wa-gap, leader of the party`s old guards, to agree to block the reformist faction from creating a preparatory committee for a new party. They made efforts to reform and unite the party and enlist support from new faces.

On the other hand, among those who had joined the signature gathering campaign, some lawmakers like Rep. Kim Duck-kyu, clarified their positions to join a new party, while other 20 moderates are expected to decide which course to take, depending on general opinions within their constituencies.

However, should Rep. Kim Keun-tae, who has been on a hunger strike, protesting the failed vote on convening an executives’ meeting, join a new party, the number of moderates following suit might be expected to rise dramatically.

The ruling party`s old guards opened their counterattack against the reformist faction, often classified as President Roh Moo-hyun loyalists, criticizing the move to launch a preparatory committee to create a new party as doing “injurious deeds to the party.’’

In the meantime, a leading figure in the new party faction made it clear that the number of lawmakers who will join a new party will increase to 43 before the Chuseok holidays with the addition of some 10 moderates to the existing 33 lawmakers who had rendered their resignations to the party.

Although the mainstream faction pushing for the creation of a new party said that party chairman Chung Dai-chul who has called for the integration of the party hasn’t decided yet on whether or not to join a new party, he would join a new party if the majority of the MDP lawmakers join the drive.

Meanwhile, five GNP reform minded lawmakers who have bolted from the opposition party and other political groups in favor of forming a new political party held a meeting Friday at a hotel in downtown Seoul to seek ways to form a joint line with the mainstream faction within the MDP. In addition, they decided to name Kim Young-chun as a spokesman and Yoo Si-min to the post in charge of planning.

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