Reps. Jeong Tae-keun Kim Song-sik demand creation of new party


The Grand National Party was seen as heading for a breakup after two reformist lawmakers on Tuesday decided to depart, citing the need to disband the embattled ruling bloc and create a new conservative party. More were expected to follow suit.

Reps. Jeong Tae-keun and Kim Song-sik said they will desert party membership at a general meeting of GNP lawmakers, where participants clashed over how far they should push reforms to win back the public’s confidence ahead of two crucial elections next year. The duo and other reformist legislators claim that the party should disband and create a new political party, possibly without President Lee Myung-bak.

“As of today, I leave the Grand National Party,” Jeong told a press conference after the meeting. “I had hoped that the GNP could be reborn, parting ways with the old political order that has failed voters. Yet I witness today how the party is resisting the change, refusing to give up its vested rights,” he said.

Their decision came a day after the party’s different factions agreed to ask Park Geun-hye, the party’s former chairwoman, to lead them out of the political wilderness and prepare for the April general election. Under their agreement, Park will head an emergency leadership council, which will take the party into the April elections.

At today’s meeting, reform-minded lawmakers stressed that the party should not stop at finding a new leader, but should be disbanded and regroup as a whole new political party.

“The GNP has completely lost the public’s trust. Under the GNP, we stand no chance of winning the parliamentary and presidential elections,” Rep. Chung Doo-un, an outspoken reformer, said.

“There are quite a few lawmakers who share the view with me that we can’t just stay (under the GNP), if the party is not recreated,” he added.

Those loyal to Park, however, opposed to the push to disband the party and create a new group, saying it is nothing but a tactic aimed at limiting Park’s role and influence as interim chief.

“What they are saying is the former chairperson Park should just prepare for the launch of a new party,” Rep. Huh Tae-yeol told a radio program. “Rep. Park should be able to decide whether to recreate the party, as she takes steps to reform the party, as head of the emergency leadership committee,” he said.

Some senior members also expressed reservations.

“Once we have decided to have Rep. Park as our chief, it is best to let her decide what’s best for the party,” Rep. Hong Sa-duk.

Park, as usual, kept mum on the issue.

She did not attend the general meeting of lawmakers.

Those close to her said she was unfavorable toward disbanding the GNP.

The GNP has suffered a series of by-election defeats, corruption scandals and a devastating cyber attack scandal. Its former chairman Rep. Hong Joon-pyo resigned Friday, as a sense of crisis deepened among its members that the conservative party, in its current form and with ties to an unpopular president, will be crushed by a resurgent opposition.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)