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Ruling Uri Party chair Kim Geun-tae at a June 11 press conference in Seoul, his first after having assumed party leadership. Yonhap
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New move in anticipation of presidential race
Kim Geun-tae, chair of the ruling Uri Party, and Chung Dong-young, the party’s former leader, have as of late seemed to compliment one another. Before the February 18 national convention, Mr. Kim and Mr. Chung fought each other in a do-or-die battle. Then, suddenly, ahead of the May 31 local-level elections, they traveled across the nation together in each other’s election camp. The two seem to have joined hands on the brink of their party’s collapse. Mr. Kim gave his answer for the newfound alliance on June 4, saying “It is really a taking of responsibility to help the party find a new way, instead of leaving it in confusion.” Party conservatives such as Rep. Kim Hyuk-kyu and Rep. Chung Deok-koo have opposed Mr. Kim’s leadership, while Mr. Chung has supported him. If we closely look at recent developments, there may be a tacit agreement between Mr. Kim and Mr. Chung. During the national convention in February and the local-level elections in May, Mr. Kim was on the verge of exiting from the party. Mr. Chung pledged to help Mr. Kim. Mr. Kim would go on to assume the party’s leadership. If the two men were to leave Uri, the party would crash and burn, and Mr. Chung will have no reason to return to the party later. On June 1, after a press conference upon his departure as party chair, Mr. Chung telephoned main members of the party as he was leaving Seoul; many of the members interpreted this as Mr. Chung’s message that he would return to the party helm one day.Among "practical-minded" lawmakers in the party, some expected Mr. Kim to play a role in sacking "excessive reformists" such as Health and Welfare Minister Yoo Shi-min. Some also requested that Mr. Kim let President Roh Moo-hyun quit as a member of the party. In another issue, some are demanding Mr. Kim play a role in integrating the Uri Party with the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP). Those who back Mr. Kim’s abilities say that if Mr. Chung were to do the job of party unification, it would be an integration between North and South Jeolla provinces, the strongholds of the MDP; if Mr. Kim does the same job, it will be an integration of the Jeolla provinces as well as with reform, they said. The "practical-minded" lawmakers may not recognize Mr. Kim as a presidential candidate because he has no publicity. With this perception in mind, after the sweeping victory of the opposition conservative Grand National Party in the May 31 elections resulting in a realignment of the political landscape, these lawmakers see a need to hold a new race among several potential candidates, including Mr. Chung, to pick the party’s presidential candidate. At a June 11 press conference, Mr. Kim said, “I will not indulge in petty measures to become the president.” Let’s see if he keeps his word.
