Gnashing of teeth seen as MDP sets out on path to create a new party

It looks like that a tumultuous discussion about a new party is emerging due to the struggle for leadership within the Millennium Democratic Party between those for and against Roh Moo-hyun, the party's presidential candidate, and the secession of Representative An Dong-seon.

Rhee In-je, an MDP lawmaker, and Kim Joong-kwon, former head of the MDP, and former Prime Minister Lee Han-dong had a meeting on Sunday, and agreed that the idea of a "clean-slate new party" is actually difficult to pursue. But they backed the need for a third party. Last week, Chung Mong-joon, independent lawmaker and the vice chairman of FIFA, the world soccer governing body, said he would join the new party.

The organization of a third party is seriously being considered as former Prime Minister Lee and representative Rhee indicated that they will hold meetings with Mr. Chung to convince him to join. It is reported that in the Sunday meeting, Mr. Lee said "let us organize a new wholesome party by joining forces with Mr. Chung, Park Geun-hye, chairman of the Korean Coalition for the Future, and the United Liberal Democrats." Earlier, on Saturday Mr. Lee appeared in a radio broadcast and made clear that he had formerly been interested in the formation of a fresh party proposed by Hahn Hwa-kap, chairman of the MDP, but that it will be difficult due to opposition within the party regarding the support of Mr. Roh as the party's presidential candidate. He said that he will be carefully thinking about the third party until the beginning of September.

Kim Joong-kwon is planning a press conference in Daegu on Monday to clarify his position regarding the third party, and a rough outline for the party is expected this week.

Roh said, "it's not possible to have meaningful discussions with people who are seceding from the party, and I refuse to talk about the third party, which I have no information about."

The MDP is also planning an independent new party, separate from the third party organization under discussion. Kim Won-gil chairman of the party committee to promote the establishment of the party, will head the business affairs, and Mr. Hahn and others plan to recruit new candidates.

The new picture they are planning is a "unified" one, including Chung Mong-joon, Lee Han-dong and Park Geun-hye, not to mention the ULD and the Democratic People's Party.

These moves clearly contradict the party re-organization insisted upon by Mr. Roh and those who support reform.

by Political News Desk