Ruling Party Is Riled By Convention Idea

The impact of a remark by Kwon Roh-kap, a power broker in the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, advocating that there be two separate party conventions, one to elect the party president and the other the party's next presidential candidate, is already being felt.

Mr. Kwon told reporters Friday that the party convention set for January would have to take place then as the terms of the current party president and members of the Supreme Council expire at that time.

He said while the party must decide when to nominate the next presidential candidate, it could not be earlier than June 2002 as immediately after the January convention the party must prepare for the June 2002 local elections and national attention will later be focused on the World Cup.

The party's largest Donggyo-dong faction, i.e., President Kim Dae-jung loyalists, named for the President's home area in Seoul, welcomed the remark, but a senior Blue House official attempted to downplay it. "The remark is merely Mr. Kwon's personal opinion," said the official. "More thought needs to be given to what course of action would best consolidate the party and successfully recapture the Blue House at the next presidential election," said the official.

Reacting to the remark, Kim Joong-kwon, current party chairman, said Sunday it reflects the opinion of a small group of people within the party and that it was never discussed officially. Some members of the Supreme Council criticized Mr. Kwon's suggestion as reflecting the Donggyo-dong faction's desire to maintain its influence.

Kim Keun-tae, a member of the Supreme Council and a presidential hopeful, said while he agreed the powers of the party president and the presidential candidate should be separated, both should be elected at a single convention in July or August. Hahn Hwa-kap, another potential presidential candidate, said he would defer to the party's decision.

by Kim Chong-hyuk