Political Outs Urge Defense Against New Constitution

Opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang on Thursday ordered his Grand National Party to "leave no stone unturned" in dealing with what he called an attempt by the ruling Millennium Democratic Party to revise the Constitution.

"The ruling party is denying it now, but ultimately they will move on it," Mr. Lee told senior party members.

Mr. Lee was referring to reports by the Chosun Ilbo of a "confidential" ruling party document.

The report, allegedly drawn up in April by a top ruling party insider, said that should some tangible progress be made at proposed talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and President Kim Dae-jung in Seoul, a constitutional revision will be considered by the ruling party.

An example of tangible progress, the report said, would be the signing of a peace declaration between the two countries. The report also details a merger between the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, the United Liberal Democrats and the Democratic People's Party to ensure a win in the 2002 presidential election.

The author of the report predicted that Kim Jong-il would visit Seoul in August. There were no specifics on how the Constitution would be revised in the Chosun Ilbo's report.

The ruling party denied knowledge of the report.

"It is highly questionable whether that document was drafted by someone in the party," party spokesman Jeon Yong-hak said Thursday. "Party Chairman Kim Joong-kwon and other senior party members have neither seen nor heard of such a document." Mr. Jeon demanded that the source of the document be revealed.

The opposition has said the administration and the ruling party are attempting to use inter-Korean reconciliation as a tool to retake the Blue House. It claimed the report shows that they were right.

by Ko Jung-ae