Split widens in opposition alliance
Published: 23 Feb. 2010, 07:38
The split between the main opposition Democratic Party and a key official of another opposition party grew even deeper yesterday, with a Participation Party member accused of harboring “political ambitions.”
The hostilities made shakier a fragile plan for a political alliance ahead of the June 2 elections.
In a radio interview yesterday, Choi Jae-sung, a close aide of DP chairman Chung Sye-kyun, lashed out at the Participation Party’s Rhyu Si-min, a former welfare minister.
Choi said that when Rhyu last week suggested a plan to register unified candidates in large districts but nominate individual candidates in smaller areas, he essentially asked the Democratic Party to share its popularity with smaller parties.
“The voters won’t simply accept the proposition that the opposition could have multiple candidates [in one region] if the Democratic Party doesn’t heed his words,” Choi said. “Politics doesn’t work that way.”
Rhyu suggested last week that opposition parties unite to back minor candidates based on their odds of winning in smaller districts. His comments came as the DP began discussions to form an alliance with other minor opposition parties, including the Democratic Labor Party and Creative Korea Party, to prevent the ruling Grand National Party from dominating the local elections. His words were interpreted as being detrimental to such efforts.
Chung has been quiet during the dispute. DP spokesman Woo Sang-ho said, “[Chung is being careful] so as not to affect the opposition alliance. But many of us here feel uncomfortable with Rhyu’s argument.”
Yang Pil-soon, spokesman for the Participation Party, said the DP’s assessment of Rhyu was “not worth responding to.”
“At a moment when we’re all talking about alliances, the Democratic Party’s attitude violates etiquette,” Yang added.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
The hostilities made shakier a fragile plan for a political alliance ahead of the June 2 elections.
In a radio interview yesterday, Choi Jae-sung, a close aide of DP chairman Chung Sye-kyun, lashed out at the Participation Party’s Rhyu Si-min, a former welfare minister.
Choi said that when Rhyu last week suggested a plan to register unified candidates in large districts but nominate individual candidates in smaller areas, he essentially asked the Democratic Party to share its popularity with smaller parties.
“The voters won’t simply accept the proposition that the opposition could have multiple candidates [in one region] if the Democratic Party doesn’t heed his words,” Choi said. “Politics doesn’t work that way.”
Rhyu suggested last week that opposition parties unite to back minor candidates based on their odds of winning in smaller districts. His comments came as the DP began discussions to form an alliance with other minor opposition parties, including the Democratic Labor Party and Creative Korea Party, to prevent the ruling Grand National Party from dominating the local elections. His words were interpreted as being detrimental to such efforts.
Chung has been quiet during the dispute. DP spokesman Woo Sang-ho said, “[Chung is being careful] so as not to affect the opposition alliance. But many of us here feel uncomfortable with Rhyu’s argument.”
Yang Pil-soon, spokesman for the Participation Party, said the DP’s assessment of Rhyu was “not worth responding to.”
“At a moment when we’re all talking about alliances, the Democratic Party’s attitude violates etiquette,” Yang added.
By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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