Sticks and Carrots for Lee Hoi-chang

Grand National Party presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak and his entourage are strengthening their pressure on former GNP leader Lee Hoi-chang with both soft- and hard-line strategies on Friday. The front-runner has friendly attitude toward the former leader, but his associates have an axe to grind.

In this regard, GNP Secretary General Lee Bang-ho raised suspicions on November 1 concerning the former leader’s 2002 presidential campaign fund leftovers.

Lee Myung-bak met with reporters during his visit to a navy headquarters in South Gyeongsang Province on the same day and said, “Former GNP leader Lee Hoi-chang is our significant partner in winning the election.” When asked how he felt about the Secretary General’s disclosure, he answered, “His action was undesirable. We all need to make efforts to cooperate with each other.”

Former GNP leader Park Geun-hye recently criticized GNP supreme council member Lee Jae-oh, saying that he is the epitome of arrogance. In this regard, Lee Myung-bak defended her remarks, saying, “She could have said it out of concern for the party. It could have been an impulsive remark, but I believe that she has her own reasons.”

He later visited a GNP member training session and emphasized that anyone who hinders the GNP’s victory holds back Korea’s development. He added that everyone must cooperate to make history.

Meanwhile, in Seoul, Lee’s entourage verbally attacked Lee Hoi-chang.

Kim Deok-ryong, who was a leader of Lee’s camp during the GNP primary, said in a radio interview, “The reason for Lee Hoi-chang’s two defeats in former presidential elections is himself and his family. His attempt for the next presidency is denying the GNP primary and he will then be put to justice by Korean citizens.”

Park Hyeong-jun, a spokesman for Lee Myung-bak camp, said, “Since former GNP leader Lee has no justifiable reason to run for president, the people of Korea will not let him do it.” Another spokesperson Na Gyeong-won said that his approval rating would plunge if Lee Hoi-chang runs as an independent since he will lose the GNP halo.

Despite Lee Myung-bak’s urge for harmony, the Secretary General maintained the offensive, saying, “If Lee Hoi-chang, who has been surrounded with suspicions regarding his campaign funds, runs for president, there will be a ripple effect. I’m just warning him to consider the consequences.”

Meanwhile, 39 first-time representatives of the GNP, including Kim Myeong-ju, Lee Gye-jin, Lee Ju-ho, and Jeong Jin-seop, held an emergency meeting in the National Assembly’s VIP restaurant and released a statement dismissing Lee Hoi-chang’s candidacy. They criticized him, saying, “His candidacy will undermine the moral duty and principle that he had been upholding.”

150 people from the GNP secretariat also made a statement urging the former leader to make a wise decision so that aspirations and efforts for the past decade are not in vain.

ddr@donga.com