Nomination Race Mediation Measures “Cannot Be Revised”

Grand National Party Chairman Kang Jae-sup said yesterday, “We will devise a mediation measure regarding nomination race rules in good faith, regardless of whether they are advantageous or disadvantageous to a certain presidential candidate. The mediation measures are just like judicial sentences of the Supreme Court and cannot be revised after they are handed down.”

Kang said the above in a meeting with a Dong-A Ilbo reporter yesterday at his home in Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam City. He added, “Currently, all the responsibilities for this are mine.”

He also said, “I am going to push forward with this, even if presidential election candidates do not accept (the mediation measure).” In response to some media reports saying that, “Kang may resign if presidential election candidates do not accept the mediation measure,” he denied it, saying, “The news has been completely fabricated by reporters.”

Kang said, “I have not considered the content of any mediation measures yet. While the presidential election candidates take a break from their rivalry for the next two to three days, I am thinking up ways to set up a mediation measure.” He reconfirmed that he “would establish the nomination race rules by this weekend.”

He said, “First, we may explain the mediation measures to the two presidential election candidates and then listen to their comments and get their feedback. We are also considering enforcing the mediation measures without explanations to the candidates.”

Meanwhile, former Seoul City mayor Lee Myung-bak said in a meeting with reporters at his own nomination race camp Anguk Forum located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, “I think Kang will present reasonable measures in line with the times.”

Former Grand National Party Chairman Park Geun-hye emphasized after mountain climbing on Mt. Cheonggye with a group of reporters, “I have already conceded once when agreeing to have the primary election with 200,000 nomination process participants in this August. That is all I can concede.”

sunshade@donga.com