No rerun of nomination, Roh says

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No rerun of nomination, Roh says

Roh Moo-hyun, the presidential candidate of the Millennium Democratic Party announced Monday that the party would not reselect its candidate for the December presidential election.

"There is no time for a new election," Mr. Roh said at a meeting with reporters. The candidate originally accepted demands within the party to reselect its presidential candidate after the party's devastating local election defeat on June 13.

"I have given party officials as much time as possible to prepare for a new primary," said Mr. Roh. "It would be a lie to tell people now that we're going to hold a primary." He said that without his consent, the MDP cannot merge with minor parties or elect a presidential candidate for a new party.

"There is a presidential candidate in the MDP. Why go for another for the unified parties?" he said. Mr. Roh said that unification of parties is defeatist and would lessen his chances of winning the presidential race.

Mr. Roh turned down a suggestion from the party leadership for a bicameral structure to run the party until the presidential election. "The party's election committee will take charge of all party operations, and if needed, handle financial affairs, also," he said. Mr. Roh said he wants lawmaker Chyung Dai-chul to co-head the committee. "Party members who are hostile to the presidential candidate will not be appointed in the future to key positions of the election committee," he said.

Political observers said that MDP lawmakers face the choice of remaining in the MDP and supporting Mr. Roh or defecting to join hands with outsiders. Former prime minister Lee Han-dong announced Monday that he would run for the presidency. He said that a political party joined by MDP lawmakers, United Liberal Democrats, the independent lawmaker Chung Mong-joon and the Korean Coalition for the Future, led by lawmaker Park Geun-hye, would likely be formed.

A close Roh aide said that most party moderates have opted to join Mr. Chung, who will announce his presidential bid Tuesday. Mr. Roh will make no further attempt to persuade them, the aide said. "We have failed to gather majority support," he added.

The anti-Roh camp within the MDP held an emergency meeting. The faction mostly consists of natives of Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces. They are reportedly considering a petition drive to oust Mr. Roh or bolting from the party.

by Choi Hoon, Kang Min-seok

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