MDP Chairman Han Hwa-gap’s Reelection Highly Possible

The Millennium Democratic Party organized its convention on the afternoon of February 3 at Jamshil Stadium in Seoul and had a leadership contest.

The party’s incumbent chairman, Han Hwa-gap, and former advisor Kim Sang-hyun competed in the election, and the reelection of Han is thought to be highly likely.

In the leadership contest, some 6,000 MDP representatives participating in the convention cast ballots at the scene, and the 7,327-member electoral college (the valid votes) voted via mail. The weight of the votes of the representatives and the electoral college was eight to two.

The MDP also adopted a three-point resolution at the convention, which is the opposition to a merger with the Uri Party, the party playing the key part in a new government, and national unity and economic development based on moderate reformism.

The party criticized the government in the resolution statement on the opposition of a party merger, saying, “President Roh Moo-hyun and the Uri Party proposed a merger with the MDP on worries that their mismanagement led to hostile public sentiment and a possible loss of a majority seats in the National Assembly. Apparently, they want to talk about a merger, but in reality, they are hiding motives to destroy the MDP.”

Myoung-Gun Lee Ho-Won Choi gun43@donga.com bestiger@donga.com