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President Roh Moo-hyun
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Increasing number of Uri Party members say they want break from president
Two out of five lawmakers from the ruling Uri Party said that President Roh Moo-hyun needs to cut his ties with the party, a poll showed. According to a telephone poll conducted by The Hankyoreh of 117 Uri Party lawmakers, 45 lawmakers - or 38.5 percent - said that President Roh needs to break with their party. Of those surveyed, 24.8 percent declined to comment, saying that the decision is up to the president. The Uri Party has 139 lawmakers sitting on the National Assembly. The Uri Party suffers from low approval ratings, as does President Roh, both around 10% each. There are worries that it is likely to lose the presidential elections, set to be held in December of the next year. Some lawmakers of the ruling party are reported to believe this low rate can be attributed to the president's bad performance. Regarding the timing for the president's possible decision on the matter, 22 lawmakers said that January or February would be appropriate for President Roh to break ties with the party. Thirteen lawmakers (28.9 percent) said that President Roh should make the move by the end of this calendar year. Only four people said that March and April of the next year would be better for President Roh to cut his ties with the Uri Party.By constituencies, 20 Uri lawmakers from the Seoul metropolitan area were in favor of the president's break with the party, followed by seven from the Jeolla Provinces, six from the Chungcheong Provinces and one from the Gyeongsang Provinces, the survey showed. The survey was conducted between November 28 and 29, just after President Roh hinted at the possibility of breaking with the Uri Party and stepping down before his five-year term ends in February 2008. Prime Minster Han Myung-sook, Commerce Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min, though they also sit on the Assembly, were excluded from polling. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
