Roh Moo-Hyun Nominated as MDP Presidential Candidacy

Candidate Roh Moo-Hyun was finally nominated as the presidential hopeful of the Millennium Democratic Party for the 16th general election as the party`s primary with people`s participation closed its curtain.

Candidate Roh declared again his desire for political reshuffle as a way to overcome regional hegemony in the acceptance speech right after the nomination and a press conference on April 27, and an interview with some presses on April 28. The statement would most likely throw the political circles in a whirlwind of disputes on political realignment. Candidate Roh is scheduled to visit former president Kim Young-Sam at his house in Sangdo-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, on April 30 and to discuss with him the integrations of democratic forces and the cooperation in the local election.

Candidate Roh took the lead with 3.924 votes (66.5 percent) in Seoul primary, which was held in Chamsil Indoor Stadium on April 27. Candidate Chung Dong-Young took 1,978 votes (33.5 percent). In the Internet vote (participated by 41,018 citizens), which had been started on April 18 for the first time in party history, candidate Roh outperformed candidate Chung who took 327 votes (18.7 percent), by taking 1,423 votes (81.3 percent) among the total of 1,750 votes. The total tally of candidate Roh was 17,568 votes (72.2 percent) while candidate Chung got 6,767 votes (27.8 percent).

Candidate Roh declared in his acceptance speech, `We should once more unite the reform forces scattered due to the politically motivated regional divisionism,` and then said in the ensuing press conference, `The current political structure should be realigned to a new political structure to overcome the regional rivalry.`

He also said in his acceptance speech, `I will pursue a democratic leadership working with an open mind, and will be a discrete and friend-like president,` and pointed out, `Various recent graft scandals have taken place because a privilege mentality and a culture of unfairness are not discarded.`

He emphasized, `We should clear out the privilege mentality, and I will not tolerate certain regions or certain school graduates monopolizing powers.`

In relation to the North policy, candidate Roh affirmed his intention of continuing the Sunshine Policy of the current regime, saying, `North-South rapprochement and cooperation must be accomplished for the peace of Korean peninsula,` and claimed in economic policy matters, `We should from now on balance the economic growth and the distributional fairness.`

He presented the blueprint of his regime as a nation building of competitiveness, equally prosperous people, and central position in Northeast Asia, and presented also three great tasks such as a political reform, a social foundation based on principle and faith, and a national integration.

He visited the National Cemetery in Dongjak-Dong, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul and the 4.19 Cemetery on April 28, and is scheduled to visit President Kim Dae-Jung in his official residence, the Blue House, on April 29.

Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com · Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com