Park Geun-hye |
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Former Grand National Party (GNP) Chairwoman Park Geun-hye has given an ultimatum to the governing party, indicating that she might leave the party unless her supporters are permitted to rejoin by the end of the month.
Park said she would make a decision early next month if the GNP leadership does not allow her followers who won National Assembly seats in the April 9 elections to rejoin the party.
Park did not specify what her decision would be. Her close aides, however, said all options are open and they would not rule out the possibility of her bolting from the GNP along with other supporters to form a new party. If the worst-case scenario occurs, the GNP will lose its majority status in the Assembly.
The GNP has 153 lawmakers-elect out of 299, and 30 or more of them are categorized as pro-Park faction members. If several of them join her cause, the GNP will become just the leading party at the National Assembly, which will impede President Lee Myung-bak's reform drive, analysts said.
The question remains as to why this is happening now and what options the former GNP chairwoman can exercise if her demands are not accepted. Rep. Park expects a reply before the 18th National Assembly starts its term next month.
Park has reiterated that all her supporters outside the GNP, estimated to be 30 or more lawmakers-elect, should rejoin the party, but in a Saturday meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, President Lee showed an ambiguous stance.
A close aide to the President said it would be difficult for the GNP to accept Park's demands, as it would result in a huge governing party controlling the parliament with 183 or more seats, nearly two-thirds of the elected members.
If the GNP snubs her, political analysts say Park has a few cards to play. The first possible scenario is that she keeps her party membership but gives the go-ahead to her supporters outside the GNP to form a parliamentary negotiation group. The pro-Park group may attempt to work together with the opposition parties on major agenda items such as the import of U.S. beef. But a pro-Park negotiating group would not change parliamentary politics as the GNP would still have a majority.
A nightmare scenario for President Lee and the GNP is that Park leaves the party with her supporters from inside the GNP to work with her 30 or more confidantes. If all or many of her followers join her cause, the GNP would no longer have an absolute majority.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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