DPP Struggles to Find Breakthrough Measures to Rally Support

Minor opposition Democratic People's Party (DPP) is mulling over a series of measures in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough in its popular support rating.

DPP chairman Cho Soon announced Thursday that he has decided to withdraw from the race for one of the 46 proportional representation seats in the upcoming general elections. His declaration indicates a deep sense of crisis prevailing in the party at its weak popular support. The DPP held an emergency meeting of top leaders in Pusan Thursday for the first time since its inauguration to devise countermeasures, but failed to reach any conclusive decisions.

A meeting participant said, "We discussed every conceivable idea during the meeting, including an early designation of the party's candidate to run in the future presidential elections, Chairman Cho's re-entering the race for an electoral seat in Chongno, and defining the relationship with former President Kim Young-sam."

DPP leaders also focused on the causes of the party's depressed mood, and the bulk of the blame went to Chairman Cho for dampening popular support for the DDP by pulling out of the campaign race. The DPP, however, tried to explain its chairman's decision to give up the electoral campaign as the "the leadership's firm resolve to take all measures necessary for the elections, including its own sacrifice." Nevertheless, Chairman Cho appeared to be in a state of shock and left the meeting with a flushed face.

Chang Ki-pyo, one of the DPP's senior advisors, proposed an early designation of the party's presidential candidate, but the decision was postponed until after the April 13 elections due to its risk of dividing party leadership. There was also the question of just how effective the proposed measure would be. Some party members are even calling for "extreme prescriptions", including disclosure of the irregularities of Lee Hoi-chang, president of other opposition Grand National Party (GNP).

by Park Sung-hui