By Do Je-hae
New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) leader Moon Jae-in encountered some poor treatment upon his arrival at Gwangju Airport, Monday.
The NPAD chairman's trip to Gwangju, the heart of liberal politics, came as he faces doubts about his leadership in the post-election period.
In last week's by-elections to fill four parliamentary seats, the main opposition party came away empty-handed, while the ruling Saenuri Party swept three seats.
When Moon arrived at the airport at around 2:20 p.m., some local citizens were waiting for him with angry signs that read "Stop making a mockery of Honam." Honam refers to the nation's southwestern region including Gwangju and North and South Jeolla Provinces, the part of Korea that has traditionally been a staunch supporter of liberal politics.
The protesters waited for Moon to appear at the main gate, but he left the airport through the VIP area and avoided a hostile encounter with them.
Moon visited several venues in Gwangju and bowed his head in apology for the election defeats.
"The by-election results are extremely hurtful," Moon said. "We lost not just in Gwangju, but in all three areas in the capital region."
Opposition-turned-independent Chun Jung-bae's landslide victory in the Seogu district of the NPAD's home turf is widely viewed as a show of the region's discontent with the party's current power structure.
Moon commented to reporters on Rep. Chun's controversial plan to poach NPAD members for a new political entity rooted in the Honam region.
"I believe that what Gwangju wants is not a new party," Moon said.
"This city is hoping to see our party reformed through innovation so that it can win not just in Honam, but the entire nation. Gwangju does not want to see a divided opposition," he added.
The NPAD is undergoing an intense factional rift among pro-Roh Moo-hyun loyalists and the rest with affiliations to other liberal statesman such as the late former President Kim Dae-jung.
Moon, a presidential candidate who narrowly lost the 2012 presidential election to then ruling Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye, is a leader of the pro-Roh group.
Moon's critics say that his failure to unite the party ahead of the vote is one of the biggest reasons for the NPAD's defeats in last week's by-elections.
"I will do my best to erase terms such as pro-Roh or anti-Roh in our party," Moon said. "We will use this experience to prepare ourselves for victories in the general and presidential elections."
Moon also said his party will work harder to meet the region's specific needs, such as enriching the rural communities that play a significant part in the region's economy.
The purpose of Moon's sudden visit was to console local supporters for the election results and seek advice from citizens about how to innovate the party.
But some NPAD senior members criticized Moon for departing for Gwangju without first discussing the trip with party leaders.
"I regret that the trip took place abruptly, without any prior consultation with the Supreme Council," said Rep. Joo Seung-young, a member of the council during a meeting Monday.
"He should have gone there with tangible solutions about how to assuage the angry sentiment toward the party in Gwangju."
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| Moon Jae-in |
The NPAD chairman's trip to Gwangju, the heart of liberal politics, came as he faces doubts about his leadership in the post-election period.
In last week's by-elections to fill four parliamentary seats, the main opposition party came away empty-handed, while the ruling Saenuri Party swept three seats.
When Moon arrived at the airport at around 2:20 p.m., some local citizens were waiting for him with angry signs that read "Stop making a mockery of Honam." Honam refers to the nation's southwestern region including Gwangju and North and South Jeolla Provinces, the part of Korea that has traditionally been a staunch supporter of liberal politics.
The protesters waited for Moon to appear at the main gate, but he left the airport through the VIP area and avoided a hostile encounter with them.
Moon visited several venues in Gwangju and bowed his head in apology for the election defeats.
"The by-election results are extremely hurtful," Moon said. "We lost not just in Gwangju, but in all three areas in the capital region."
Opposition-turned-independent Chun Jung-bae's landslide victory in the Seogu district of the NPAD's home turf is widely viewed as a show of the region's discontent with the party's current power structure.
Moon commented to reporters on Rep. Chun's controversial plan to poach NPAD members for a new political entity rooted in the Honam region.
"I believe that what Gwangju wants is not a new party," Moon said.
"This city is hoping to see our party reformed through innovation so that it can win not just in Honam, but the entire nation. Gwangju does not want to see a divided opposition," he added.
The NPAD is undergoing an intense factional rift among pro-Roh Moo-hyun loyalists and the rest with affiliations to other liberal statesman such as the late former President Kim Dae-jung.
Moon, a presidential candidate who narrowly lost the 2012 presidential election to then ruling Saenuri Party candidate Park Geun-hye, is a leader of the pro-Roh group.
Moon's critics say that his failure to unite the party ahead of the vote is one of the biggest reasons for the NPAD's defeats in last week's by-elections.
"I will do my best to erase terms such as pro-Roh or anti-Roh in our party," Moon said. "We will use this experience to prepare ourselves for victories in the general and presidential elections."
Moon also said his party will work harder to meet the region's specific needs, such as enriching the rural communities that play a significant part in the region's economy.
The purpose of Moon's sudden visit was to console local supporters for the election results and seek advice from citizens about how to innovate the party.
But some NPAD senior members criticized Moon for departing for Gwangju without first discussing the trip with party leaders.
"I regret that the trip took place abruptly, without any prior consultation with the Supreme Council," said Rep. Joo Seung-young, a member of the council during a meeting Monday.
"He should have gone there with tangible solutions about how to assuage the angry sentiment toward the party in Gwangju."
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