The main opposition Democratic United Party’s interim leader Moon Sung-keun on Sunday proposed talks with the ruling Saenuri Party’s chairwoman Park Geun-hye to discuss adopting fully-open primaries ahead of the Dec. 19 presidential race.

Park has been facing growing calls within and outside the party to replace the current system with an open primary, in which the candidate is decided by a vote by citizens. Park, who enjoys sturdy in-house support as a presidential frontrunner, has been defending the party’s current method which gives 50 percent of the vote to party members.

“It is a rightful attitude by the politician to adjust the laws and regulations in accordance with the public sentiment or the changing trend,” Moon said at a press briefing.

Moon suggested they could introduce a mobile voting system in order to prevent any fallout from opening up the primaries to ordinary citizens, regardless of party affiliation.

(jhl@heraldcorp.com)