Debate over New Party Gaining Momentum

Five members of the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) announced on Monday their intentions to defect while those loyal to President Roh Moo-hyun within the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) are causing impetus in their own movements to form a new party.

In particular, these GNP defectors plan to join forces with President Roh Moo-hyun`s loyalists from the ruling camp and put the People`s Party for Reform under one umbrella so that a floor negotiation group of more than 20 lawmakers can be formed.

Reps. Lee Bu-young, Ahn Young-keun, Kim Boo-kyum, Kim Young-choon and Lee Woo-jae are scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday morning at the National Assembly to make their declaration and suggest creating a new party for reform which will initiate campaigns for political reform and national unity. Reps. Kim Hong-shin and Suh Sang-suhp, who were supposed to leave the party with other GNP members, decided to remain.

First, the ex-GNP members will maintain a floor negotiation group until August and establish a preparatory committee for forming a new party until the end of August by joining forces with former lawmakers such as Lee Chul, Jang Gi-uk, and Park Gae-dong, and reformist forces outside the political arena.

The joint committee for creation of the reform party, a reformist group outside the political community, plans to announce its establishment at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul on Monday. The pro-reform party faction within the MDP plans to hold a national debate session on why a new party in line with people`s participation is necessary, with GNP defectors and reformists activists who are in favor of creating the new party. The MDP faction plans to hold a joint meeting after individually contacting society leaders, including the Rev. Kang Won-yong and Song Wol-joo, the great Buddhist monk, who in a statement urged for the establishment of a new political force.

Yeon-Wook Jung Sung-Won Park jyw11@donga.com swpark@donga.com