Leaders of main opposition party pressured to resign

Kim Han-gill, a leading member of a minority faction of the main opposition Democratic United Party, resigned from the party’s supreme council Thursday and demanded that other leading members follow suit.

As the faction has urged the party’s leadership to step down, Kim’s move could ignite a factional power struggle and throw the party into a vortex of an overall reshuffle.

In his resignation statement, Kim urged the party leadership to step down so that presidential candidate Moon Jae-in, who has pledged to “break the politics of vested interests” in the party, can reform without hesitation. Kim apparently refers to chairman Lee Hae-chan and floor leader Park Jie-won.

At its meeting on Wednesday night, the political reform committee of Moon’s election camp also urged the party leadership, including Lee and Park, to step down.

Both men, however, have refused to resign and are urging other party members to unite and focus on the Dec. 19 presidential election.

Speaking to reporters while visiting a frontline area on the east coast, Moon said Lee and Park have not gotten involved in the party’s daily affairs, asking party members to give them time and leave the matter of their resignation to him.

“I understand that their complete resignation is being called for to make the party’s commitment to reform clearer,” he said. Though Moon did not accept the calls for their resignation immediately, his comment is interpreted as indirect pressure on them to step down.

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