MDP Considers `Direct Assault on ‘Sons` Scandals`

The Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) began to prepare emergency measures to counter the allegations of the irregularities of the president`s sons, the dropping of approval rates of the party presidential hopeful Roh Moon-Hyun, and the side effect of the party primaries.

Such a move of MDP may bring about considerable repercussions since it reflects the common feelings shared by concerned party members for more willingness to cut off the relationship with President Kim who exited party and to seek the second creation of the party as the party faces the local elections in a month.

As the first measure to search for the path of the party, the party leadership decided to hold a workshop on May 17, in which representatives and regional party chapter chiefs would gather to discuss measures to overcome the crisis situations the party faces.

It is expected that demands for `dramatic measures` will be emerged during the work shop, especially including the direct assault on the scandals of the president`s sons, early calling-in before the prosecution of the related party members who are allegedly involved with the scandals, and self-cleanup declaration at the party level.

A related person of the party said, `We can not win when we continue to go this way, and we have no other way but to urge the complete investigation by the prosecution and the early endings of the investigations,` and added, `We fear that unexpectedly harsh criticism may pour out of the workshop.`

The party leadership is considering an option to summarize the various opinions that may arise out of the workshop and to announce the MDP`s official positions on current political affairs based on the summary.

Rep. Chough Soon-Hyung said, `The Blue House should not try to pass over the situation lightly with the arrests of sons of the president,` and added, `It is hard to win the presidential election if we do not get rid of the various scandals popped up so far in a fundamental way.`

Previously, the caucus members belonging to a party reform alliance held a members` meeting last week and agreed, `The reform alliance should continue to play a role as a pressure group for the reform of the party,` and decided to discuss issues of a collective announcement on the scandals involving the president`s sons in a breakfast meeting on May 16.

Young-Chan Yoon yyc11@donga.com