Lee Hoi-Chang Opposes Political Regrouping to Split GNP

Lee Bu-Young, a vice president of the Grand National Party (GNP) demanded yesterday that, “Bearing the responsibility for the party`s serious crisis, president Lee Hoi-Chang and all of the vice presidents should resign en masse and the party needs to establish an emergency system.” His argument deepened the intra-party trouble.

Vice president Lee said, “The party`s presidential candidate election, which is planned in May, is likely to be canceled. Thus, it should be rescheduled after the local election in June,” in his telephone call with a reporter. He also said that if Lee Hoi-Chang does not accept his demand, he will resign his party position.

Rep. Kim Duk-Ryong expressed his will to leave the GNP by saying that, “There is no more negotiation (with president Lee),” in a press meeting. He implied the possibility of solidarity with Rep. Park Geun-Hye. “Although I have no plan to meet Park right now, we have same beliefs to create a new political environment.”

Nonetheless, criticizing the initial activities to form a new party, president Lee said, “I will not accept a political regrouping that negates the GNP`s political aim and ground and that intentionally attempts to split the party, and the regrouping cannot win success,” in a press meeting before his visit to Japan (10-13th).

He presented his will to refuse the non-mainstreamers` demands. “There had been many attempts to organize new parties in the past. But, most of them were disappeared because they could not reflect the will of the people. The GNP already decided its direction, and we will firmly take our steps to this direction.” Meanwhile, the Solidarity for the Future, a group for the GNP`s youth politicians, plans to request a preparation of measures, including the introduction of a collective-leadership system before the presidential election, to settle the intra-party troubles just after Lee Hoi-Chang`s return to Korea.

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com · Jong-Hoon Lee taylor55@donga.com