Appearance of Cooperation between NMPD and ULD

New Millennium Democratic Party (NMDP) and United Liberal Democrats (ULD) are discussing the appearance and the level of cooperation. To cope with local elections on June 13th and the format of the 16th Congress in the second half of this year, they are seriously discussing the cooperation between two parties, while some people from ULD are disputing over the identity.

Kim Won-Gil secretary general of NMDP and Oh Jang-Sup secretary general of ULD are likely to meet on the 22nd to make a negotiation for the cooperation measures coping with local elections in Chungcheong province.

These two parties have made a tacit consent that NMDP yields the nomination for Daejeon City mayor to ULD reserving the nomination of Jung Ha-Yong, who had been nominated for the post by NMDP Daejeon Office instead that NMDP nominates for the ward head of Seo-gu and Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.

In addition, they have been discussing united nomination such as the nomination for the governors of Chungbuk and Chungnam provinces by ULD and the nomination for the mayor of Cheongju city by NMDP.

For the matter of posts in the Congress, Chung Kyun-Hwan floor leader of NMDP and Kim Hak-Won floor leader of ULD have made frequent contacts recently. ULD will support the nominee for the President of Congress by NMDP, and NMDP will guarantee the post of vice president and chairperson of standing committee to ULD.

Hahn Hwa-kap Chairperson of NMDP said in the senior leaders’ meeting on the 21st, “I would meet Kim Jong-Pil president of ULD if necessary. ”

The question is how to control the young members of both parties. Lee One-Ku and Chung Jin-Suk of ULD are protesting, saying, “we should not cooperate again with the party whose ideology and line are quite different from ours. ” Young members of NMDP also raise their voices warning the recurrence to the past.

“We cannot win the local elections with ideology. We should make a strategic cooperation with NMDP mediated by Rep. Lee In-Je, ” said Cho Boo-Young vice president of ULD to settle the inner discord.

Grand National Party (GNP) is in an offensive stance, saying, “people would not be fooled again. People in Chungcheong province will not follow the request to `understand` by ULD. ”(Huh Tae-Yeol chief party planner)

Sung-Won Park swpark@donga.com