After nearly one decade of liberal rule, members of the conservative opposition Grand National Party (GNP) are leading the pack of candidates hoping to run in next year's presidential election, as the liberal-leaning ruling Uri Party is moving to disband and create a new political group with expanded memberships.
Since 1998, South Korea has been governed by liberal-leaning leaders seeking detente with North Korea and a greater redistribution of wealth. Recent public surveys, however, suggest candidates from the GNP, which calls for a harder line against Pyongyang and focuses on economic growth, are way ahead of their potential rivals.
On Sunday, leaders of the Uri Party said they would seek to unite all reformist, pro-unification forces to win back public support, as the presidential election is one year away.
"Regarding the direction of our party, it was an overwhelming majority opinion that we should achieve a grand integration of peace and reform-minded forces," said Park Byeong-sug, a two-time lawmaker, after a party workshop in Seoul. He said about 60 percent of 139 party lawmakers surveyed agreed on the moves.
The Uri Party plan came after it suffered successive election defeats this year amid its sagging popularity over the slumping economy and rising regional tension over North Korea. The GNP won 12 of the 16 key races in May's mayoral and gubernatorial polls and three of four parliamentary byelections in October.
The establishment of a new party, however, is expected to trigger fierce internal feuding as members faithful to President Roh Moo-hyun strongly oppose the moves.
"How can they seek a political realignment with the results of a survey?" asked Choi Jae-sung, a one-time lawmaker. "We should discuss it again and again."
Other pro-Roh forces also said the surveys were mainly conducted among those advocating a new party and 40 percent of incumbent lawmakers didn't participate in it.
Early voter surveys showed two GNP members -- former party leader Park Geun-hye and former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak -- and independent runner Goh Kun, a former prime minister, are ahead of the other potential presidential candidates. They also suggested Uri Party contenders stand little chance of winning the race.
A telephone survey by the MBC television station last week showed Lee received 39 percent of voter support, with 19.7 percent for Park and 17.9 percent for Goh. It also revealed Chung Dong-young, a former Uri Party chairman, earned only 1.9 percent and incumbent party head Kim Geun-tae got 0.8 percent.
Political pundits say the GNP will also undergo in-house disputes over how to nominate the party's presidential candidate.
Lee argues the person should be selected by ordinary citizens through an "open" primary, while Park says the nomination process should include party members.
Also grabbing media attention is whether former party leader Lee Hoi-chang will return to politics, and if so, what kind of role he would perform in the presidential campaign. Lee quit politics after losing the 2002 election to President Roh and the 1997 one to former President Kim Dae-jung.
Aides say Lee will resume political activity early next year and seek to muster all conservative forces to prevent liberal forces from prolonging their leaderships.
Goh, for his part, indicated he would establish his own party in March or April. Analysts raise a possibility that Goh might join dissenters of the Uri Party.
President Roh's single five-year term ends in early 2008, but he is barred by law from seeking a re-election.
Seoul, Dec. 18 (Yonhap News)
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