Ruling Party Loses Second Key Leader

Another leader of the ruling party announced his resignation Monday in a prelude to a broader reshuffling to be carried out by President Kim Dae-jung on Friday.

Chairman Suh Young-hoon of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party was the second leader to hand in his resignation in the last two days.

"I keenly feel responsible for recent dissension in our party and instability in political affairs, and I resign so that the president may see through his planned party and administrative overhaul," Mr. Suh said, before presiding over a meeting of the Supreme Council.

His resignation followed by a day that of Kwon Roh-kap, a party kingpin. The president's right-hand man since the early 1970s, Mr. Kwon unexpectedly tendered his resignation late Sunday.

"For the future of the nation and the party, and for the success of the president's political reform, I have decided to resign," Mr. Kwon said.

Political analysts were busy studying the effect of the two resignations as the big picture of the party reorganization began to emerge.

It is expected to entail changes not only in personnel but also in the party governance system. A presidential insider said that Mr. Kim is expected to give more power to the next chairman, a power that to date has been exercised mainly by Mr. Kwon.

It is not the first time that Mr. Kwon, a member of the Supreme Council and the leader of the "Donggyo-dong" faction, has retired from a frontline role since the president took office in February, 1998. The faction name refers to a group of politicians loyal to the president since his days as a democracy activist in the 1970s. Currently, it comprises some 40 members of the ruling party.

Although many in the party believe the resignation does not change his standing with the president, the resignation is expected to mark, in fact, his retirement from the political sector.

by Kim Gyo-joon