GNP’s New Leader to Be Elected at National Convention

The cornered main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) leader Choe Byung-yul said on Sunday he would accept his opponents’ call for his resignation from the party’s top post, saying he would hand over the chairmanship to a new leader who will be elected at the party’s upcoming national convention.

However, he made it clear that he would remain in power until the convention which would be convened after the completion of ongoing nominations for the April general election, dismissing the young reformists’ call for an emergency committee before the convention.

A new leadership elected at the national convention held between March 15 and 20 would lead the 17th general election. Now a power struggle for new leadership is likely to materialize.

“The convention will not only elect a new leader, but provide a chance for our party to be reborn as a future-oriented, rational party by fielding reform-minded candidates for the April 15 general election,” Choe said in a press conference.

“Pro-North Korea and anti-America Roh Moo-hyun’s administration, and radical leftists disguised as social associations are now making all-out efforts to win the April general election,” Choe Byung-yul said, adding, “ The upcoming election will not only determine the party’s destiny but also the nation’s future.”

As for nominations for the election, Choe stressed that the national convention should be held after the completion of the nomination because nominators should participate in the convention to have the party be reborn as a new one.

Yim Tae-hee, Choe’s chief secretary, said that Rep. Choe would not seek reelection and the secretary-general would take the lead in preparing the national convention. He added the party would change its platform in the national convention, indicating the party would undergo significant changes through the convention.

Young and reform-minded lawmakers in the opposition group, including Rep. Nam Kyung-phil, Rep. Won Hee-ryong, Rep. Kwon Young-se, and Rep. Chung Byoung-gug said in a news conference that they welcomed Choe’s decision. However, they added they would not sit idly by should the upcoming process of electing new leadership be distorted by impure intentions. They demanded that the chairman step down on February 11, creating internal conflicts within the party.

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com