Ex-lawmakers bolt NPAD vowing to become ‘catalyst for new party`

Former lawmakers Yoo Seon-ho and Jang Se-hwan of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy told a press conference on Thursday, “We wish to become a catalyst for the birth of a new party,” in declaring their defection from the party. “We held talks with several people (within the party) about (our defection),” they said. “There will be a slew of defections from the party in September and October.”

The two ex-lawmakers hinted at their intent to join "Chun Jung-bae’s new party." However, Chun distanced him from them, saying, “What is urgent is to discover new figures.”

There are no signs of incumbent lawmakers’ defection as of now. Rep. Park Ju-seon, who is rumored to be planning defection, told a radio interview on the day, “If the party is still regarded as an infertile political party and fails to reform even by then (Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving holiday), it would be meaningless to stay put in the party.”

NPAD leader Moon Jae-in continued to insist on "my way." Visiting the national Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, Moon told reporters, “If people in important positions participate in reform and join hands with us with the mindset of ‘laying a single brick in the quest for reform,’ the party will see its approval rating rise.”

Moon directly refuted Rep. Ahn Chul-soo’s claim on Wednesday by saying, “’A party reform movement’ or a campaign to rightly establish the opposition party should occur.” He also said, “Through the reform committee’s activities, we have prevented the party from plunging further and recovered stability,” clarifying his stance that he would not care about the non-Roh Moo-hyun faction’s motion to defect from the party.

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