ULD Confirms Party Platform for Im Dong-Won`s Withdrawal

In the midst of the tense confrontation between the ruling New Millennium Democratic Party and the Grand National Party about the withdrawal of the Unification Minister Im Dong-Won, the United Liberal Democrats reiterated the party`s opinion for the withdrawal of the Unification Minister. The dissenting opinions are likely to be resolved at the meeting of President Kim Dae-Jung and ULD`s honorary president Kim Jong-Pil during this week. Honorary president Kim Jong-Pil will return from his visit to Japan on Aug 28.

A high official of Chong Wa Dae stated, ``No withdrawal is the firm decision of Chong Wa Dae. As soon as honorary president Kim Jong-Pil returns from Japan, [Chong Wa Dae] will adjust the opinions with him and search for a countermeasure against the GNP`s proposition for the withdrawal.``

However, ULD`s spokesperson Byun Woong-Jeon remarked, ``there is no change in our party`s opinion that Minister Im must withdraw.``

Kwon Chul-Hyun, the spokesperson of GNP, urged again for the withdrawal of Minister Im, saying ``Unqualified Minister Im who has no idea of the North is not prepared to take the responsibility for such grave matter of our nation as the unification.``

However, NMDP`s spokesperson Chun Yong-Hak criticized GNP saying that ``playing partisan politics, the opposition party`s overuse of the propositions for the withdrawal of the competent Minister, who is responsible for the whole North Korean policies, is a very irresponsible attitude.``

Kim Yoon-Hwan, the chairperson of the Democratic People`s Party, also criticized ULD, saying ``it is not the proper behavior that a member of the ruling coalition to expel a core member of the engagement policy that the Kim Dae-Jung administration has devoted with its heart and soul.``

Meanwhile, Lee Mahn-Seop, the President of the National Assembly, distributed a press report, `My position on the current issue`, and revealed his plan to deal with the withdrawal proposition by the National Assembly Law.

Yoon Young-Chan yyc11@donga.com