Ten proportional representation candidates from the embattled Unified Progressive Party renounced their status on Tuesday to help restore public support and pressure defiant hardline lawmakers-elect to step down.

The leftist party has been faltering amid allegations of vote-rigging and some leading members’ past pro-North Korea activities.

“We cannot deny that although it is an in-house poll, any irregularities in the selection of public office holders is an act of betraying voters,” Na Sun-ja, one of the candidates, said during a press conference at the National Assembly.

“We wanted to present our party’s reform efforts and its will to address this case in a responsible manner.”

Nine were among the 14 UPP proportional representation candidates selected in a disputed in-house election.

Rhyu Si-min, former co-chair of the party, also renounced his candidacy although he was listed without an in-house poll.

Four hardline candidates have refused to step down.

Yoon Geum-soon, a moderate who offered to withdraw earlier this month, has reversed her decision. She said she would resign after the party resolved all disputes, and pledged not to exercise any right as a lawmaker while in office.

Her move came as the party’s moderates seek to retain more lawmakers on its side amid a deepening factional conflict.

In last month’s parliamentary polls, the UPP gained 13 seats, including six by proportional representation. Only five lawmakers-elect including Yoon belong to the moderate faction.

Kang Ki-kab, chairman of the party’s emergency committee, welcomed the decisions to step down, saying that it will boost the party’s reform endeavors.

“It is a decision of sacrifice and dedication for the party. Based on that, the emergency committee will establish a foundation upon which our party can be reestablished,” he told reporters.

To deliberate on the four who defied the party’s calls to resign, its Seoul chapter held a disciplinary committee session to determine whether to expel them from the party membership.

Even if expelled, lawmakers-elect can retain their parliamentary seats as independents.

The four include lawmakers-elect Lee Seog-gi and Kim Jae-yeon ― two core members of the radical National Liberation faction which political conservatives have berated for their past records of upholding North Korea’s “Juche” ideology.

NLL members have refused to clarify their stance on Pyongyang’s third-generation power succession, human rights abuses and political ideology of Juche, or self reliance, sparking concerns that their entry into parliament could threaten national security.

Originally, the party’s chapter in Gyeonggi Province, which Lee and Kim are members, was to deliberate their expulsion. But its central committee decided on Monday to conduct the deliberation at the Seoul chapter dominated by the moderate faction.

The expulsion process is expected to take some time as the lawmakers-elect can lodge a complaint for reconsideration within two weeks of the party’s decision.

When Lee and Kim become lawmakers after the 19th Assembly begins on Wednesday, their expulsion could be more difficult as the law requires approval from more than half of a party’s lawmakers to delist any legislators.

The party seeks to complete the expulsion process before its leadership contest in late June. Its new leadership is to take office on July 8.

Meanwhile, its special reform panel plans to hold three conferences on Thursday, and Tuesday and Thursday next week to discuss ways to enhance communication among party ranks and reestablish their progressive values.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)