Kwon Rho-Gap & Park Ji-Won Must Step Down

President Kim Dae-Jung, president of the New Millennium Democratic Party, clearly delivered his intention to carry out the reformation of the party and the government after the end of the general session of the National Assembly to the Supreme Council member of the party who had insisted on the immediate reformation of the party.

However, leaders of the reformist young caucus of the party including `Open Politics Forum` `Institute For Practice of Righteous Politics` and `Institute of People`s Politics` continued their demand for the immediate reformation measures such as the President`s withdrawal from the presidency and his renunciation of the party membership, resignation of some persons from the political activities, direct election of the party`s president, and overall resignation of the elected Supreme Council members.

Young caucuses of the party tied closely together: the leaders of the young caucuses of the party including Reps. Chang Young-Dal, Shin Gi-Nam, Park In-Sang, Lee Jae-Jung, Kim Seong-Ho held a joint meeting and made an agreement on collecting signatures of the members for the joint petition for the reformation of the party and the government.

Rep. Park said ``after making a petition for the reformation by today, we will deliver the petition to the President at the Supreme Council meeting on Nov. 3 and will urge for his serious decision.`` However, he said that the petition would not name specific persons to be included as a target of the reformation.

Controversies about the request for resignation from the political activities: `Daybreak 21` 12 first elected lawmakers of NMDP, stirred the party by requesting the resignation of Kwon Rho-Gap and Park Ji-Won from the political activities.

10 members of `Daybreak 21` including Reps. Lee Ho-Woong and Kim Seong-Ho asserted, ``Supreme Council member Kwon, and Senior Presidential Secretary Park who had been suspected to bring about the difficulties of the national administration must leave from the political circle.`` They also demanded for the resignation of the leaders of the party including chairperson Han Kwang-Ok who are responsible for the defeat of the 10.25 re-election and by-election.

However, Rep. Lee Hoon-Pyong, a member of Donggyo-dong circle, defied the requests, stating ``the request for the resignation from the political activities based on the political maneuvers of the Grand National Party is another irresponsible political aggression.`` Senior Secretary Park saved his words, commenting ``it is time to concentrate on the general session of the National Assembly.``

President Kim tries to calm down : A high official of the ruling party said, ``President Kim will take measures for clear reformation of the party and the government by the end of the general session of the National Assembly. He is delivering his intention to the Supreme Council members.``

He also added, ``President Kim will positively accept the requests for the recovery of the people`s support raised through the `special organization for reformation of the party and the government` in the party and the President`s abdication from the party`s presidency may be included.``

chang@donga.com