Cheong Wa Dae – NMDP Are On Their Own Ways?

After the President Kim`s announcement that he will not exert any influence on the election of the Presidential candidate of the New Millennium Democratic Party, NMDP is also considering of the re-establishment of the party to overcome positively the image of `DJ party.` Hence, the party is moving toward `non-DJ` and President Kim is moving toward `non-politics.`

NMDP is also reviewing the measure to change the name of the party. In addition, the Presidential candidates of NMDP are trying to distinguish themselves from DJ, strengthening their criticisms on the reformation policies of the government including the restructuring of the public areas and the chebol policies.

Since President Kim is planning to reshuffle the cabinet right after the end of the general session of the National Assembly to launch a neutral cabinet for the Presidential election, President Kim and NMDP are likely to depart officially from each other at the turn of the year.

Second Foundation of the Party: `A special countermeasure committee for the party`s reformation` of NMDP (chairperson Cho Sae-Hyung) held an overnight discussion and set a goal of the committee as the second foundation of the party pursuing the overall reformation, democratization, and modernization of the party.

Overall Reshuffling of Cabinet and No Interruption into Presidential Competition: the reshuffling of the cabinet at the end of the year will include the Prime Minister Lee Han-Dong and other Ministers from political circle. Cheong Wa Dae has completed the first selection of the Ministerial candidates among the neutral and famous experts.

President Kim declared at the Cheju provincial office that "I will not intervene into the party`s politics and the election of the Presidential candidate at all. Rather I will concentrate on the national administration. That`s what the people want and the right way that I could serve them."

GNP suspects: Kwon Chul-Hyun, spokesperson of GNP, remarked, "it is suspicious that there is something behind because President Kim did not take any measure for the failure of the national administration even after he resigned from the party`s presidency." Mr. Kwon also asserted that "NMDP strategically erode the image of DJ from the party and form a `non-DJ, anti-Lee Hoi-Chang party` to try a political reformation."

yyc11@donga.com