Roh seen backing a new party

President Roh Moo-hyun’s remarks Thursday about the movement by his supporters in the governing Millennium Democratic Party to create a new political party have prompted speculation that he endorses the move.
In a 100-minute televised appearance on network television, a panelist asked Mr. Roh about his stance on the movement in his party. Mr. Roh indicated he agreed with “what I think is obvious. But I am not saying anything, because I promote political reform that separates the president from the day-to-day affairs of his party.”
Political watchers, however, said the move for a new party is already on course.
The president’s supporters are younger members of the MDP, representing the new leadership that stood by Mr. Roh in last year’s presidential campaign. The old leadership is affiliated with former President Kim Dae-jung, the party’s founder.
Debate in the ruling camp yesterday took a turn toward how to go about creating a new political party, away from the previous debate of whether the ruling party needed a change.
Members of the party’s old leadership, notably Chung Kyun-hwan, the party’s floor leader, said yesterday, “I do not oppose a newly integrated party if it succeeds to the Millennium Democratic Party’s legitimacy and political identity, while at the same time remaining peaceful and reform-oriented.”
Han Kwang-ok, a Supreme Council member and a member of the old leadership, supported the plans, saying, “We should move toward a new, integrated political party in which many people can take part.”
However, there is an overall difference between the views of the new and old leadership, political watchers said. The old calls for an “integrated new party” while the new leadership wants a “new, reform-oriented party.” Politicos predict that a new reformist party would mean joining forces with Representative Rhyu Simin of the People’s Party for Reform.

by Lee Jung-min