MDP Senior Members, Shin Ki-nam and Chu Mi-ae Tender Resignations

The Millennium Democratic Party on Dec.23 hold a general meeting of the MDP election campaign committee and a senior members` meeting in a row and decided to come up with plans to overhaul the party to meet the public demand of a drastic political reform expressed during the 16th presidential election. The party reform plans included the formation of a task force team for party reform and reduction of the central party in size.

Han Wha-kab, head of the MDP, said in the senior members` meeting that day in response to 23 reform-minded MDP lawmakers` demand of the party`s constructive dismantling and the change in the MDP leadership, “Our party`s priority is to carry out reform and achieve unity. I will launch a team to reach a consensus within the party.”

However, it is expected that the MDP will be continuously battling over the party`s reform plans because some reform-minded lawmakers in the party did not share views of the party leadership on the party`s reform plans. The reform-minded lawmakers including Shin Ki-nam and Chu Mi-ae, MDP`s senior members, who had given their signatures to a petition calling for the party`s reform, denounced the party leadership by saying, “The leadership failed to take a tough measure to carry out reform. The MDP should be dismantled in a constructive way and recreated as a reformist party to achieve national unity.” The two senior members called for a general resignation of the MDP leadership and tendered their resignations.

Yong-Gwan Jung yongari@donga.com