Opposition party split over leadership race

By Lee Tae-hoon

Staff reporter

Factional feuding is escalating within the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) between mainstreamers loyal to party Chairman Chung Sye-kyun and a group of reform-minded legislators ahead of the party's national convention, slated for late August.

"Due to the party's fragile leadership, the diversity of opinions and democratic decision-making process is disappearing," Rep. Lee Jong-kul of the DP said on a radio program, Monday.

On Sunday, 23 of the party's 84 lawmakers, known to be opposed to Chairman Chung's seeking reelection gathered to launch an