MDP Members Launched Preparation Committee, Pushing Hard for Creation of New Party.

Millennium Democratic Party’s members who are expected to leave it have reportedly decided to form a “new party preparation committee” unaffiliated with the MDP. Those MDP members such as Park Sang-gyu and Kim Won-gil plan to set up a “blank party” in the end. As a transitional move, they will establish a new party through the committee.

It is also reported that they plan to retain their relationship with the MDP, while working for the establishment, until the end of National Auditing. When the auditing ends in early October, some 20 MDP members will depart from the MDP. Then, near the end of October, anti-Roh members and moderate senior members will defect.

The decision came at the Sep. 14th meeting of moderate members at a restaurant in Seoul, such as Kim Young-bae (chairperson the new committee), Kim Myung-sup, Kim Young-hwan, Cho Sung-jun, Kang Woon-tae, Park Byung-yoon, and Park Byung-suk, along with the two Congressmen mentioned above.

It is confirmed that they have secured an office which will be put into operation once the MDP’s committee of the same purpose stops working on Sep. 16.

Rep. Park Sang-gyu confirmed after the meeting, “It’s hard to depart during the National Auditing. Grand National Party is expected to wage an all-out attack. Thus, we will prepare for the new party’s birth outside our party. Then, after the auditing, 20-26 congressmen will depart.”

Kim Myung-sup, who was also present at the meeting, said, “The defection will be large in size. If Roh Moo-hyun and his followers consider establishing a committee in preparation of creation of a new party, we will think about the time again. But the departure is not reversible.”

Apart from those who will defect, moderate members like Choi, Myung-hun, Sul Song-woong and Park Jong-woo have launched an endorsement-drive for resignation of Roh Moo-hyun and Han Hwa-kap and recognition of the need for a new party. So far, they have won the support of 30 MDP members.

On the other hand, Roh will hold a press conference on Sep. 18, and will announce the establishment of a preparation committee. Thus, he will start his election campaigning in earnest, which is expected to face confrontation.

On September 14, when meeting with labor activists, candidate Roh showed his strong position on those issues by saying, “I will get rid of the intra-party huddles by the end of Thanksgiving Day. Then, I will do things my own way. It’s unthinkable to hinder my campaigning.”

Young-Chan Yoon Hyung-gwon Pu yyc11@donga.com bookum90@donga.com