Retaking the Party Reins

The United Liberal Democrats will hold a caucus in October to officially promote its honorary president, Kim Jong-pil, to party president, the party spokesman said Wednesday.

The decision would recast the minor party, which holds 15 seats in the 273-seat National Assembly, as an independent entity now that it has broken its ties with the ruling Millennium Democratic Party.

The party's decision to field its own candidates in the upcoming October special elections defused any political speculation that the ruling coalition between the two parties would be pieced back together.

Mr. Kim said last week that his party was unorthodox in its organization, having a president and an honorary president, because of political considerations. He will become president, and the position of honorary president will be eliminated.

Mr. Kim has led the party before. He served as party president in November 1997. He handed over the position to former Prime Minister Park Tae-joon, who was succeeded by Prime Minister Lee Han-dong, when the United Liberal Democrats formed the coalition with the ruling party.

The party's spokesman, Representative Byun Ung-jun, said, "Mr. Kim, who shed blood during the Korean War in fighting against the communists, will lead the party that stands for national security."

With its party organization streamlined, insiders at the United Liberal Democrats said the party will look to enlarge its membership.

Political analysts said Mr. Kim intends to enlist the aid of former President Kim Young-sam in recruiting new members and winning more seats in the Assembly.

There has been speculation that the two Kims would meet before merging forces, but a meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, was canceled.

"With the nation's military and police on alert, it is best to put off the meeting," the two sides announced, referring to the heightened state of readiness in response to the terrorist attacks in the United States.

If the two join forces, they would combine strong bases of power in the Chungchong provinces and Kyongsang provinces.

by Chung Young-gi