GNP Forming Ad-hoc Emergency Committee for Party Reform on Dec. 30

As each political faction has begun all-out efforts to carry out in-house political reform, such as forming ad-hoc committees, the political circle in Korea is now taking pains in reorganizing post-election parties.

On Dec.27, the Grand National Party (GNP) decided to form an ad-hoc emergency panel tentatively named “Ad-hoc committee for reforms on the GNP and political environment in Korea” to draw up party reform plans and elected Rep. Hong Sa-duk and Rep. Hyun Kyung-dae as co-chairman of the emergency committee.

The conservative GNP held the Supreme Council’s emergency meeting presided over by Shu Chung-won, Chairman of the GNP, at the party headquarters on that day and agreed to officially launch the ad-hoc committee for party reforms on Dec. 30 after a passage of a party reform bill in the GNP’s executive committee.

Co-chairman Rep. Hyun hinted, “The emergency committee will be composed of around 30 members and include not only within-party members but also outside-party ones. And there will be 3 to 4 sub-panels under the committee.”

“After the formation of the ad-hoc emergency panel, the authority, which the Supreme Council is now possessing, will be naturally relegated to the emergency committee and the Supreme Council will deal with regular party affairs,” said GNP leader Shu Chung-won.

For the Millennium Democratic Party’s part, on the same day, the MDP held the Supreme Council meeting at the party headquarters and decided to form a special committee composed of around 15 members to revamp the ruling party.

Spokesman Moon Suk-ho said in a press briefing, “The concrete selection of committee members will be entrusted to Han Hwa-kap, Chairman of the MDP, and the chairman will maintain a close consultation with the President-elect on the selection, taking a regional balance into account.”

In the Supreme Council meeting, Rep. Han said, “I will also consider enlisting outside members to fill the special party reform committee.” In addition, the spokesman quoted Han as saying, “I, as a member of the MDP, have recommended reform plans to lead the party in a new direction, including promoting digitalization of the party, paying much attention to government policies and reorganizing the regional party structure.”

However, young and reform-minded lawmakers in the MDP held a forum on Cheju Island on Dec. 27-28 and called on the MDP leadership, including Rep. Han, for immediate resignations.

Meanwhile, the United Liberal Democrats also formed an ad-hoc panel on that day to promote in-house reform and elected Jung Woo-taek as chairman of the panel.

Yong-Gwan Jung Min-Hyuk Park yongari@donga.com mhpark@donga.com