Ex-Prime Minister, Uri Now Allies?

On September 24, Goh Kun, former prime minister and now one of the strongest potential presidential candidates, was found to have recently met Uri Party floor leader Kim Han-gill and agreed in principle on an alliance of moderate reform groups.

Since it was his first explicit motion for political realignment pushed by the ruling Uri Party, the move attracted more speculation as to whether the political re-alliance would be realized.

Goh also extended his interests in open primaries, which the party plans to introduce for the nomination of its presidential candidate next year from outside the party.

“I met with Goh on September 12 and asked him to make joint efforts to form an alliance of middle-of-the-road reform forces in the nation,” Rep. Kim said in a press meeting held in Uri Party headquarters in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. “He said in principle he agrees with our move.”

Kim Han-gil was the head of Goh’s camp in the 1998 Seoul mayoral election when Goh ran for election as a candidate of the Democratic Party, then the ruling party.

He added Goh praised the new method as a forward-looking reform for an impartial nomination process for 2007’s presidential elections. But he was a bit worried about the premium that is expected to be possibly enjoyed (by the current Uri Party hopefuls). “So, I told him that the open primary system my party is planning to adopt is one where candidates inside the party should give up all their vested rights,” said Kim.

Mentioning the Uri’s chairman Kim Geun-tae’s remark on Sept. 20 about forming anti-GNP (the major opposition party, Grand National party) alliance in early December, Kim added, “I let the chairman know about the meeting with Goh. We’re talking on how to prepare for the expected political upheaval.”

In response to the Uri chairman’s remarks, Goh has mentioned on September 21 that political movement for restructuring Korea’s political spectrum would be burgeoning around the end of the year.

Kim Deok-bong, Goh’s spokesman, said, “He and the Uri party have found that the governing party’s realignment prospect is generally in line with his ‘centric practical force alliance’ (after the meeting with Kim).”

He is allegedly set to take an initiative to convince politicians for his move shortly after the Chuseok holiday season.

Meanwhile, Kim said that on September 10, several days before the meeting with Goh, he had also met with Chung Un-chan, former president of Seoul National University whose name has also been floated as a potential recruit.

The Uri’s floor leader stated, “I just try to meet with as many as people possible in an effort to win the political support from all walks of life who are in tone with our idea. But I met with Chung to extend my condolences with his retirement. It was not a political move at all.”

jin0619@donga.com