President Roh denies speculation about his defection from ruling party

President Roh Moo-hyun said Thursday that he has no intention to break with the ruling Uri Party, according to his spokesman Yoon Tae-young.

"I'll not leave the Uri Party. I'll protect Uri," Roh was quoted by Yoon as telling his aides in a Thursday morning meeting at his residence Cheong Wa Dae.

"I'm opposed to the creation of a new party (by Uri lawmakers)," said the president, referring to its mainstream faction's move to defect to create a new party.

But the president still left open the possibility of his secession from the party by saying that he will do whatever will benefit the party's survival.

"I will stay with Uri if my party membership is necessary to protect it. I may also think of defection if that is beneficial to the party."

He then made clear his opposition to the ruling party being dismantled to be reborn as a regional party. The Uri Party has been heavily dependent on the southwestern provinces of Jeolla for its political support.

South Korea's political circles have been in turmoil, as Roh and the ruling party, which he founded in 2003, have fallen into conflict.

Frustrated over a lack of cooperation from Uri on key administrative affairs, the president has even publicly threatened to leave the governing party.

Political watchers and local media have speculated that the president may bolt from Uri as soon as the ongoing National Assembly session is finished on Dec. 9, while the mainstream forces of the ruling party are likely to display visible moves to create a new party.

According to the latest opinion poll by a daily newspaper in Seoul, the popularity of the Uri Party has fallen to an all-time low of 8.8 percent, compared with over 44 percent for the main opposition Grand National Party. Roh's own approval rating has also plummeted to slightly over 10 percent, the survey showed.

Seoul, Nov. 30 (Yonhap News)