Candidates to compete for six seats in national convention on Jan. 15


The main opposition Democratic Unified Party on Monday chose nine of the 15 candidates who will run for party leader next month.

The list included former Democratic Party floor leader Park Jie-won, former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook and civic group-based candidate Moon Sung-keun.

Reps. Park Young-sun, Kim Boo-kyum and Lee Kang-rae of the former DP also joined the list, along with Park Yong-jin, Lee In-young and Lee Hak-young.

The nine candidates are now to kick off their campaigns to vie for the six leadership seats at the new party’s first national convention Jan. 15.

The elected chairperson, along with the decision-making body, is to lead the newly formed party through next year’s general and presidential elections.

During the preliminary race, eyes were on the power struggle between the DP group and the pro-Roh Moo-hyun Citizens Integration Party, between whom differences remain despite the difficulty-plagued integration earlier this month.

The main liberal camp has been divided since the Uri Party, the predecessor of the DP, broke up in 2007 and aides to former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun left the group.

Though the two have united, they are expected to undergo further internal conflicts.

The DP group’s senior-most candidates include former floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won and former policy committee chairperson Rep. Park Young-sun.

The former was believed to have a huge lead in the party’s leadership race but temporarily faltered upon the turbulence displayed in the party’s internal vote on left-wing unity with the CIP.

As the aspiring chairman firmly stood against former leader Rep. Sohn Hak-kyu’s unity blueprints, he was accused of being responsible, at least partly, for the violent clashes between the party’s key members and those who boycotted the inter-party merger.

The younger Park, though she lost in the DP’s internal race and gave way in the left-wing’s Seoul mayoral candidacy to Park Won-soon earlier this year, has gained general support for her policies and energetic image.

The CIP faction is largely represented by pro-Roh figures such as former Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook and former actor Moon Seong-geun.

Han waged a tight contest against conservative Mayor Oh Se-hoon in last year’s Seoul mayoral race but refrained from entering this year’s by-election and has so far maintained a low profile.

Her support rate has nevertheless risen within the liberal camp, especially since a lower court acquitted her of her long-standing bribery allegations in October.

Moon, former actor and civic activist, is also firmly backed by the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)