Resignation Brings Fuss

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Resignation Brings Fuss

The Blue House and the ruling Millennium Democratic Party were at odds Monday over the resignation of representative Ahn Dong-sean, who labeled opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang a "Japanese collaborator."

"Mr. Ahn must have reversed his stance and resigned after consulting with the Blue House," some representatives of the ruling party said.

They said Mr. Ahn should have consulted the party as well before stepping down.

Mr. Ahn had insisted until Sunday that he would not resign. Political analysts said his sudden change of heart suggest that his resignation was not voluntary.

"I regret having made some inappropriate remarks and I resign so that the meeting between the heads of the ruling and opposition parties may be held," Mr. Ahn said at a press conference Monday morning. "But," he added, "Mr. Lee should explain to the people that his father was once a clerk for a Japanese prosecutor during the Japanese colonial period."

He added that Mr. Lee needs to clarify his role as a civilian judge in a military court during the 1980s.

The ruling party immediately refused to accept Mr. Ahn's resignation.

"The party already apologized for the comments made by Mr. Ahn. His resignation is, therefore, not appropriate," said Kim Joong-kwon, chairman of the ruling party.

Noh Mu-hyun, senior advisor, Kim Keun-tae, member of the Supreme Council, and Lee Hae-chan, chief policymaker, also strongly opposed the resignation, according to the party's spokesman, Jeon Yong-hak.

The Blue House said their opposition does not really matter.

"Mr. Ahn himself tendered his resignation, and President Kim Dae-jung will accept it," a high-ranking official at the Blue House said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Grand National Party branded the move a "strategic resignation" and said that the ruling party was using the occasion of Mr. Ahn's resignation to continue publicizing its criticisms of Mr. Lee's background.



by Kim Chong-hyuk

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