2-Seat Party Acts to Join In a Coalition With Majority

Chairman Kim Yoon-whan of the Democratic People's Party, which holds just two seats in the 273-seat National Assembly, said Thursday that a plan to join the ruling coalition is in the works.

"Chairman Kim Joong-kwon of the Millennium Democratic Party and Honorary President Kim Jong-pil proposed that our party cooperate on securing a majority in the National Assembly," he said.

"We have counterproposed the formation of a coalition government and are awaiting reply from the ruling bloc."

A three-way coalition would secure the necessary majority of 137 seats in the unicameral parliament with the ruling Millennium Democratic Party holding 115 seats and the United Liberal Democrats 20.

A coalition with the ruling bloc would give the Democratic People's Party a voice in policymaking as well as nominations to the cabinet. President Kim Dae-jung is expected to reshuffle his cabinet in mid-March.

The ruling bloc itself was reconsolidated late last year when the ruling party sent over four of its legislators to the minor United Liberal Democrats so that they could qualify as a negotiating power in the parliament with the necessary 20 seats.

In exchange, the United Liberal Democrats re-entered a coalition with the ruling party.

The possible three-way coalition is being construed as a strategy to isolate the opposition leader, Lee Hoi-chang, president of the Grand National Party.

In the larger picture, a three-way coalition would level the ground for a political realignment before the presidential election in December 2002, political observers said.

Chairman Kim of the ruling party stressed the need for three-way action in policy, calling it necessary to "revive the economy and to stabilize state affairs." He added that his party is preparing to accept three-voice policy.

The ruling party, however, declined to state clearly where it stands on forming a coalition government.

But already there are rumors that Rep. Han Seung-soo of the Democratic People's Party is a strong candidate for a spot in the cabinet. Rep. Kang Sook-ja is the other Democratic Peoples' Party legislator.

The opposition party's floor leader, Rep. Chung Chang-wha, strongly objected to a three-way coalition, saying that "it will rock the political arena as well as be an act of violence aimed at cornering the opposition through force."

by Lee Soo-ho