Parties Urging for Harmony but Engaged in Wrangling.

▨Rival Parties Confident in Victory in By-election

GNP, "MDP alienates from DJ in disguise."

MDP, "GNP shows signs of one-party dictatorship."

The opposition Grand National Party (GNP) boasted on the 26th its `Upgrade Korea` program as translate the World Cup frenzy into energy to further develop the nation. The party emphasized that it would work hard to create new hope for an upgraded nation and to build a country based on law and principle.

Seo Chung-won, GNP chairman said at the party`s supreme council, "When the World Cup end, the public will turn their eyes to the political sector. If we fail to impress the public, Red Devils might haunt us."

Details of the `Upgrade Korea` program have yet to be revealed. The GNP will hold an open forum on July 4 and 9 on a bid to adopt the public opinion as election pledges and to promote a national campaign.

The scheduled forum will be attended by professors, journalists, and leaders of civic groups under the theme of the World Cup fever and measured to translate it into a driving force behind the national development.

The ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) emphasized that based on the success of the World Cup, the paradigm of each sector should shift to a more productive and future-oriented one.

Han Hwa-gap, MDP chairman, said at a meeting with high-ranking MDP officials, "We should take the World Cup as an opportunity for a new leap toward the future. Also the political sector should make further advancement in a way that gains the public confidence." He added, "I hope that parties and politician would transform themselves to address all the political issues in a way that is future-oriented and productive and in a way that can form a public consensus.

The MDP announced that it would unveil its "Great Takeoff Program" aimed at maintaining the momentum of the World Cup for the national prosperity.

The party appointed Im Chae-jung, the chairman of the party`s policy-making committee as the head of a `task force` for successful implement of the program.

The party expects that at the center of the program will be △forming the public consensus, △upgrading the political society, △making a quantum leap in the economic sector, and △upgrading the cultural and sports sectors to the level of advanced nations.

▨ Political gabfest

GNP to hold an open forum in line with its `Upgrade Korea` program

MDP to form a task force for the `Great Takeoff` program

The Grand National Party stepped up its offensive against the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) by criticizing the MDP`s `anti-corruption program` as an attempt to distance the MDP from the president in disguise.

Seo, GNP chairman, said, "The MDP is talking about eradicating corruption but before talking it has to take action to bring to light a series of gate scandals and corruptions involving the president`s sons. The MDP should agree on an parliamentary investigation into corruptions of influential political leaders."

The GNP is planning to make a protest to the Prosecutors Office about its inactivity on investigations into preferential sale of luxury apartments and the modification of the usage of the Baegung-Jeongja district. Nam Gyeong-pil, the GNP spokesman, urged in a statement, "To ensure that the public energy found through the World Cup will lead to the enhancement of each sector, including politics, we should root out corruption."

The MDP, which has restrained from attacking the GNP since its election rout, respond to the GNP offensive. The MDP criticized the remarks by Rep. Kim Yong-gyun of the GNP. He complained about the court ruling, citing the hometowns of the judges.

Han Hwa-gap, MDP chairman, said, "This is the sign of one-party dictatorship and regional dictatorship, which is beginning to show only after a few days of the GNP`s victory in the local elections."

Lee Nak-yeon, the MDP spokesman asked, "Is the GNP`s legal consciousness to blame that the court ruling was affected by the regional apathy of the judges?". He demanded an answer to Lee Hoi-chang, the GNP presidential candidate, citing that Lee was a justice of the Supreme Court.

Young-Chan Yoon Sung-Won Park yyc11@donga.com swpark@donga.com