Uri Party Is Moving Fast for Upcoming Presidential Election

Stimulated by recent developments in the opposition Grand National Party’s primary race, ruling Uri Party members are moving fast to catch up with their rival in the upcoming presidential election.

While Kim Geun-tae, former Uri Party chairman, declared yesterday that he will not run the presidential election, two former prime ministers, Han Myeong-sook and Lee Hae-chan, are preparing themselves to run the election. They are scheduled to make official announcements next week.

However, the ruling Uri Party is being taken apart now. As the June 14 deadline set by Uri Party senior members to form a unified force within the ruling party is approaching, Chung Dae-cheol, an Uri Party senior adviser, and his followers, and other young party members whose districts mostly belong to the Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Chungcheong regions announced that they will defect from the party once the deadline is over.

Meanwhile, former Uri Party Chairman Kim Geun-tae held a press conference yesterday and stated that, “I won’t make any effort to be a president. Instead, I will work hard to help develop a unified force among politicians to pursue a peaceful, reformative orientation.”

At the same time, Kim declared his defection from the party and said, “I am not a member of the Uri Party any more. From now on, I will devote myself to achieve unification.” Kim also mentioned the names of figures who are considered to be possible candidates of the ruling party, such as former Prime Minister Han, the party’s former chairman Chung Dong-young, Chun Jung-bae, lawmaker of a newly formed party, Kim Hyuk-kyu, lawmaker of the Uri Party, former Prime Minister Lee, former Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-gyu, and Moon Guk-hyeon, president of Yuhan Kimberly, and asked them to adopt an open primary system as soon as possible.

Considering Kim’s position brought the two major factions within the party together with Chung, his defection is expected to further accelerate the party’s dissolution and affect the effort to form a unified force among party members.

On the same day, Chung, former chairman of the Uri Party, also met reporters and confirmed that he will leave the party after June 14, saying that, “If we fail to concentrate our power into one single direction, it is meaningless to run in the presidential election.”

Amid such turmoil, former Prime Minister Lee plans to announce his bid to run in the presidential election next Tuesday. Lee is known as one of influential members of President Roh Moo-hyun’s inner group.

One lawmaker who is close to Lee met reporters yesterday, saying, “Lee finally decided to run in the election and plans to make an official announcement next week. He is having deep thoughts about it and is studying how to make a plan for victory.”

A close follower of former Prime Minister Lee also said that, “Lee will announce his run. Basically, he does not agree with the attempts to dissolve the party by denying the authenticity of the Uri Party and participatory government, and the attempts to form a unified force without consulting with members who follow President Roh.”

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Han said that, “I think it is time to put the nation’s power together. In order to do so, leadership that stresses communication and harmony is very necessary now.”

Kim Hyuk-kyu, a lawmaker of the Uri Party, also plans to announce his candidacy at the end of this month or early next month. Kim is known to be a major member of the pro-Roh circle.

yongari@donga.com