President asked for answers on MDP split

Leading members of the governing Millennium Democratic Party have issued a public letter to President Roh Moo-hyun, asking him to help decide the fate of the badly splintered party.
The party has broken into two factions, one supporting the president’s policies, the other backing the political outlook of former President Kim Dae-jung.
In their open letter, Representatives Chough Soon-hyung and Choo Mi-ae, lawmakers affiliated with Mr. Roh, blamed the president for the party split.
They said: “The president, who benefited much and is consequently responsible for the Millennium Democratic Party should choose between integration or dissolution. It is political conjuring to pitch national integration and call for an end to regionalism when he cannot even hold the party together.”
The two went on to question Mr. Roh’s silence over the turmoil, asking if it was because he did not want to be seen betraying the very party that elected him to the Blue House while his mind is set on the new party. The lawmakers said they would remain within the Millennium Democratic Party.
After violent confrontations and much heated debate, the reform wing ― or lawmakers loyal to President Roh ― said last week they would quit the party. They accelerated their steps yesterday. The 43 Millennium Democrats who have announced they will quit the party said Sunday they will leave before the Chuseok holidays begin Wednesday, and work with other reform-minded politicians. They set December as a target date for creation of a new party.
Meanwhile, in an extended party meeting, Chairman Chyung Dai-chul of the Millennium Democrats accepted the resignation of Lee Sang-soo, the secretary-general who handed in his resignation a week ago in order to create a new political party.

by Lee Jung-min