Airborne `Parachute`

After the end of the DJP alliance, ULD affiliates on government subsidiary executives and boards are finding themselves in a precarious situation. Since the justification for maintaining their position has weakened after the break, they have little choice but to submit if, in the worst case scenario, the Democratic Party demands `removal`or if their relative ULD orders them to `withdraw`.

During its collaboration, the allied administration denounced `cutting up portions` and `parachute personnel` and appointed 16 former ULD members to the executive offices and boards of 10 government subsidiaries such as the Korea National Housing Corporation and Korea Land Corporation .

The mood of the two parties suggests that they are not likely to dismiss these affiliates` immediately. Even when the two parties announced the annulment of their union during the general elections last year, the ULD`s portion of subsidiary executive posts were preserved.

These executives are reported to have called ULD Honrary Chairman Kim Jong-Pil after the passage of the motion to dismiss the Unification Minister and asked, ``What do we do in a situation where even a ULD cabinet member is signing his resignation?``

``I never received such a call. Koo Chun-Suh, Human Resources Development Service of Korea chairman of the board of directors, came and said that he will soon take charge of the International Technology Olympics, so I encouraged him to handle the international affair well.`` JP stated at a press conference held at Inchon Airport before leaving for his Japan visit on the 5th

Secretary General Lee Yang-Hee also stated, ``There were no discussion at all on this issue in the party.`` This indicates that neither JP nor the ULD is about to remove the executives.

Kwon Hae-Ok, ULD affiliate and official in the Housing Corporation, said, ``The organization president is nominated by the presidential nomination committee and selected by the board of directors. It is different from the office of a state minister inasmuch as the office term is guaranteed.``

The ruling party government, swords drawn and all, cannot handle the issue lightly either.

One Cheong Wa Dae source said, ``They have a set term, so we can`t just drive them out at will. If we remove them, we end up admitting that we `divided up the portions` with the ULD.``

One Democratic Party member explained the situation saying, ``On the one hand, influential assembly members for the most part have to embrace the ULD and therefore do not feel that it is necessary to aggravate the ULD. On the other hand, members seeking reelection are adamant about not accepting such attitude.``

Moon Chul fullmoon@donga.com