GNP joins the game; 1st test is in Incheon

This will be a full political campaign weekend as the Millennium Democrats continue their round of elections and the Grand National Party kicks off its own first-ever primary election series in Incheon on Saturday.

The Grand National Party, which holds a near-majority of seats in the National Assembly, will match up four candidates in Incheon: Representative Lee Hoi-chang, the former party president and frontrunner, Representatives Lee Bu-young, Rhee Shang-hi and Choe Byung-yul. Incheon's 2,285 party electors there. During the primaries, 50,000 voters, half party members and half outsiders, will vote in 12 regional elections.

The four candidates began stumping Incheon in earnest Friday. The campaigning was scheduled to culminate in a debate aired by the Kyung-in Broadcasting Ltd. None of the four are fresh new faces; all are in their 60s.

The opposition moves onto Ulsan on Thursday and Jeju on April 20. Lee Hoi-chang, the favorite to capture the party's nomination, is also seen by party insiders as the favorite in the Incheon kickoff. Mr. Choe, a native of South Gyeongsang province, is hoping to rally in the southeastern city of Ulsan, just as the ruling party's primary candidate, Roh Moo-hyun did.

While Incheon GNP voters are busy Saturday, the three remaining candidates of the Millennium Democrats will square off in North Chungcheong province and then move on to South Jeolla on Sunday. With five primaries remaining, Roh Moo-hyun, who seemingly came out of nowhere to take the lead in MDP balloting so far, will try to protect that lead against the party's early favorite, Rhee In-je.

by Kim Sung-tak