By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Independent lawmaker Chung Dong-young arrived in Tokyo, Thursday, for a meeting with Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada. The meeting is scheduled to take place today at the ministry.
The former presidential candidate's schedule in Japan coincides with that of Chung Sye-kyun, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), who met with Ichiro Ozawa, a leader of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), late Thursday.
Political pundits speculate that the two politicians' possible reunion in Japan shows their interest in seeking endorsement as the next leader in Korea's liberal camp after the death of former President Kim Dae-jung in August.
Independent lawmaker Chung's aide said the former unification minister's meeting with Okada would mark the Japanese foreign minister's first meeting with a South Korean politician since he took office in September.
He declined to give details of what topics the two leaders would discuss.
The two Chungs are scheduled to attend memorial services to honor the legacy of the late President Kim.
DP leader Chung will deliver a eulogy during the ceremony in Tokyo, where former presidential candidate Chung will attend as a distinguished guest.
Relations between the two leaders were soured when independent lawmaker Chung left the liberal DP to run in the by-election in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, last April.
Prior to leaving the party, DP leader Chung advised the former unification minister not to run in the election in order to give a chance to another aspiring lawmaker in the DP's home turf. The DP chairman chose a North Korean expert to run in the election.
Shortly after being eliminated in the selection, the former presidential candidate left the party to run in the election as an independent, pledging to rejoin the DP after the election.
After winning the election by a wide margin, Chung sent signals that he was prepared to rejoin the party, calling for internal reform.
But the DP leader did not allowed the ``defector'' to be part of the party again.
After the deaths of the two former Presidents, Kim and Roh Moo-hyun, political pundits began speculating who was going to be the next liberal leader.
Earlier, DP Chairman Chung, who rose to the opposition party's leadership post last July, was not considered to be a charismatic leader capable enough to lead the liberal camp.
But he tried to make his voice heard in the party's decision-making process after the DP won three of five National Assembly seats up for grabs in the Oct. 29 by-elections.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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