Ahn Cheol-soo leaves NPAD in 21 months

“I’m leaving the party into wilderness all by myself.”

Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) said on Sunday that he is leaving his party. “If everything continues as it is, there would be no hope for the general elections next year and changing the leadership in the government,” he said at a press conference held at the National Assembly. NPAD Chairman Moon Jae-in hadn`t accepted Ahn’s suggestion of holding an innovative national convention on the premise of Moon’s resignation. Entering a “den of tiger” by integrating with the Democratic Party (the predecessor of the NPAD) on March 26, 2014, Ahn is leaving the party in 21 months without catching any tiger.

“My capability and power was not sufficient enough. The opposition party is only keen on maintaining its vested interest, without pursuing constant innovation," said Ahn, making an apology but also criticizing Moon. “I will pay back to Korean people with new politics that will stop further expansion of power of the Saenuri party and take good care of the nation’s life," Ahn said, expressing his strong will to form a new party. "I will come up with political power that could change the leadership in the government."

His leaving the party has brought the opposition party into the maelstrom of major shakeup. Political circle sees that the liberal group of Moon from the pro-Roh (Roh Moo-hyun) faction and political activists of the 1980s would compete with the Ahn faction centered on moderate notion and Jeolla provinces.

It is expected that the upcoming general elections in April will be restructured from one ruling party and one opposition party to “single-ruling party and multiple oppositions.” Multiple opposition parties of the NPAD, Ahn’s faction, the Justice Party, and the National Conference of Chun Chung-bae are going to stand against the Saenuri Party. When and if any integration of parties, election coalition or single candidacy agreement is made to form a “one-on-one structure,” another maelstrom is anticipated in the opposition parties.

It is possible that additional lawmakers will follow Ahn’s lead. “As many as 30 lawmakers mainly from the faction not favorable of Roh would leave the party until the end of the year,” said Rep. Moon Byeong-ho, a close aide of Ahn, hinting his defection on Tuesday. Some, however, see that the non-pro Rho faction will more focus on raising Moon’s responsibility and demanding his resignation rather than leaving the party.

The current chaos in the opposition parties appears to have adverse effect on the national affairs as a whole. Negotiation on major issues between the ruling and opposition parties is facing a stalemate. There is no promise in deciding the constituency due on Tuesday when party primary registration begins, while it is unclear if the National Assembly will pass economic stimulus bills, such as “basic act on service industry development,” which has been initiated by the ruling Saenuri Party.

mindy@donga.com