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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 30, 2003

News Analysis: S. Korean political arena faces shake-up

With the Monday announcement that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is to quit the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), the country's political arena is facing a new round of reorganization.


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With the Monday announcement that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is to quit the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), the country's political arena is facing a new round of reorganization.

Ten days ago, when a group of 37 reform-minded lawmakers left the MDP to form a new political negotiating group in the National Assembly, speculation on Roh Moo-hyun may also depart the MDP was highlighted.

But it is unexpected that Roh made his decision to depart the MDP so quickly.

The parliament rejection of his nomination of the head of Board of Audit and Inspection last Friday has hastened his decision. In the veto, the MDP unprecedentedly cooperate with the biggest opposition the Grand National Party (GNP) and the minor United Liberal Democrats (ULD) to block Roh's choice. The president's nomination was dismissed with 136 against while 87 for.

Hearing on the news that Roh will quit the party, the MDP condemned that "his departure from the MDP is not only an unprecedented act of betrayal, but is a choice that will bring only chaos to state affairs."

"The MDP, a legitimate democratic force, has become an opposition party," the MDP's Acting Chairman Park Sang-cheon announced on Monday.

Only nine months ago, the MDP strongly backed Roh Moo-hyun in the presidential election and hailed the victory of Roh in the fierce race. Roh's inauguration as President of South Korea made the MDP ruling party again.

However, the MDP split over the reform plan of the party and other state affairs such as dispatch non-combat troops to Iraq to help US-led reconstruction in the Middle East country.

The MDP, founded by South Korean former President Kim Dae-jung in 2000, once lost the ruling party status when Kim announced his drop-out of it in May 2002.

Younger generation lawmakers who strongly support Roh Moo-hyun demanded the MDP to carry out drastic reform, but the conservative members of the party wanted to remain the current situation.

After long lasting disputes, 37 representatives of the MDP quitthe party on Sept. 20 and registered in the National Assembly as a negotiating group along with other five lawmakers from the GNP. According to rules, the negotiating group has the right to participate in negotiations in the National Assembly.

Roh publicly expressed his support for the new political group,saying "the split within the MDP should not be interpreted as a political feud or a breakup, it's a transition toward a new order free of the regionalism that has dominated the South Korean political landscape for decades."

Such remarks aroused anti-Roh sentiment in the ruling camp. As retaliation, the MDP vowed to become an opposition force to block the government policies.

Moreover, former top leader of the MDP, Chyung Dai-chul declared his resignation from his position one week ago, taking responsibility of the party's split.

Also with the split of the MDP, the political landscape of South Korean had changed. The new political group, which was temporarily named New Party for National Participatory Union, holds 42 seats in the unicameral parliament. While the GNP holds 149, the MDP has 64, the ULD holds 10.

The GDP still remain its majority in the National Assembly, while the MDP's power weakened much by the split.

Local media talked about the possibility that the MDP and the GNP, the two old adversaries, may cooperate in future.

If it becomes true, Roh will face tough time since the two major parties totally hold more than two-thirds seats in the parliament which makes them can approve or veto down government bills at their will.

And the new pro-Roh political group, still need more time to gain more popularity among local residents. As a recent opinion poll shows that only 11 percent of respondents supported the new group, while the GNP gained the most high favor of 27.8 percent.

The re-combination happened seven months ahead of the 17th parliament general election, which is slated for April 15, 2004. The new political group desperately hopes to beat the GNP in the election by gaining majority in the parliament.

The new political group is to form a preparatory committee to officially launch the party by Nov.1, and establish the party by Dec. 7.

The following question is whether Roh Moo-hyun and Chyung Dai-chul will take part in the new party ?

"The president made no specific comment on the possibly of joining the new party," said Roh's spokesman Yoon Tai-young on Monday, adding that Roh may make a decision on the issue after the current National Assembly session slated to be concluded at the end of this year.

It was reported that former MDP top leader Chyung Dai-chul would join the new party soon and serve as chairman of it.

The MDP began purging pro-Roh lawmakers after the split, urgingthem to leave the party. It also will hold a meeting of senior party officials on Tuesday to discuss ways of dealing with the issue and to plot a future course for the MDP.

Who is the winner in the reorganization is not clear now, analysts said.


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