 Former Presidential Candidate |
Staff Reporter
A former leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) rejoined the party Wednesday, eight months after he left the liberal party.
Former presidential candidate Chung Dong-young, who is now an independent lawmaker, left the party in defiance of the DP's decision to forbid him running in last April's by-elections on the party ticket.
Shin Kuhn, who also successfully ran in the by-elections as an independent after bolting from the DP, was again granted party membership as well.
As a result, the DP now holds 88 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature.
The decision was made at a time when the DP is striving to consolidate liberal votes in the June 2 elections to pick mayors, governors and council members nationwide.
``The DP has decided to grant the reentry of Reps. Chung and Shin based on the consensus that the party needs the spirit of grand unity to win in the local elections,'' DP spokesman Woo Sang-ho said.
He said that the move will help consolidate unity in the party and strengthen alliances with other liberal parties.
Chung hinted that he would not challenge for the leadership of the DP in the near future.
``I pledge to serve as a stepping stone in uniting liberal forces for victory in the June local elections,'' he said.
Chung, who also served as unification minister, said that he will help drive the party's approval ratings above 30 percent.
Pundits, however, say his comeback might lead to internal feuding and a power struggle between him and supporters of incumbent Chairman Chung Sye-kyun.
Chung Dong-young dealt a blow to the liberal party by winning as an independent in a North Jeolla district, where he had previously been elected twice.
The DP will choose new leaders a month after the elections as the incumbent chairman's two-year term expires in July.
leeth@koreatimes.co.kr
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