MDP affirms Roh as presidential nominee

Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday managed to retain the presidential nomination of the Millennium Democratic Party, as rank-and-file Millennium Democrats decided to stick with the young, maverick nominee after three hard days of factional struggle in the wake of the party's defeat at last Thursday's local elections. The party's top brass, Chairman Hahn Hwa-kap and 11 other Supreme Council members, also kept their positions.

With his presidential nomination reconfirmed, Mr. Roh promised to propose a plan to eliminate corruption. Political pundits attributed the collapse of the party's candidates in the local elections to the ominous shadow cast by the allegations of corruption and influence-peddling against two of President Kim Dae-jung's sons.

"The public showed that they do not support the policy orientation of the party and myself. We will come up with a program to root out corruption before the Aug. 8 by-elections," Mr. Roh said.

In a vague statement after his nomination was confirmed, he hinted at the dilemma he and the party, which Mr. Kim founded, are facing in the prelude to the by-elections and the Dec. 19 presidential vote.

"It is neither desirable nor effective to differentiate ourselves or completely break with the president," he said. But then he added that his anti-corruption program "will also deal with past corruption cases." A party source close to Mr. Roh and Mr. Hahn said the party may be willing to accept a parliamentary hearing and an independent counsel to look into the cases involving the president's sons.

The Millennium Democrats also accepted Mr. Roh's suggestion of a Aug. 8 by-election task force and a special committee to restructure the party. On Thursday, the party's Supreme Council will meet to decide on the specifics in forming the special bodies .

Forces within the party, including Representative Rhee In-je, whom Mr. Roh defeated in the party primaries, openly disagreed with the decision to keep Mr. Roh as the candidate. Mr. Rhee and his associates are expected to huddle this weekend to seek a way around Wednesday's decision, which in effect cemented Mr. Roh and Mr. Hahn as the powers that be in the MDP.

by Lee Jung-min