Senior Ruling Party Official Hints at Possible GNP Split

Han Hwa-kap, a senior member of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), dropped a political bombshell today by saying it is possible that the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) could split into two different groups. Han said: "If the GNP continues to ignore the will of the people and boycott the National Assembly, it will end up giving an excuse to forces within itself to set up a new party."

Han continued: "The GNP president, Lee Hoi-chang, acts as if he has already won the next presidential election and remains uncooperative in administering the nation." Han also warned Lee that a further worsening of the current political deadlock would only encourage the rise of a splinter group, which would only end up disadvantaging the GNP.

Meanwhile, GNP spokesperson Chang Kwang-keun condemned Han's comment, saying, "I wonder whether the ruling camp has already been working to pit different groups within my party against each other."

by Park Seung-hee