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Former opposition leader leaves party
Rep. Kim Han-gil
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
Rep. Kim Han-gil, co-founder of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) — the previous name of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea — left the party, Sunday.
Kim indicated that he would join forces with Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo who plans to launch a new political party by early February, saying he “sympathizes” with Ahn’s pursuit of building a new political order.
Kim’s defection follows the Dec. 13 departure of Ahn, the other co-founder of the NPAD who left the party after a power struggle with Chairman Rep. Moon Jae-in.
As of Sunday, nine lawmakers have left the main opposition party, reducing its parliamentary seats to 118 against the ruling Saenuri Party’s 156.
Kim’s departure is expected to further accelerate a split of the opposition bloc ahead of the April 13 general election.
“I leave the party today and stand at the starting line toward new hope,” Kim told a press conference at the National Assembly. “I will start over to win the general election and change the government.”
Adding that bipartisanship should be put to an end, Kim said, “New politics should be drawn on a clean sheet of paper. I will devote myself to forming new political order.”
The fourth-term lawmaker also criticized Moon and his followers, who are loyal to the late President Roh Moo-hyun, saying that they stick to profit for their own faction, and this will only result in defeat in the upcoming elections.
Moon is the de facto leader of the pro-Roh faction, given his career as the late President’s chief of staff.
In March 2014, Kim, who was a leader of the then named largest opposition Democratic Party (DP), and Ahn, an independent lawmaker at that time, co-founded the NPAD by merging their two sides. The Ahn’s camp was preparing to a launch a new party at the time.
Recalling the landmark merger, Kim said, “I feel sorry for Ahn as I failed in my promise to overcome the dominating faction within the main opposition party.”
Kim indicated that he will join Ahn’s party.
When asked about whether he will join the envisioned party, Kim said, “I will discuss the matter with him. I sympathize with Ahn’s pursuit of change.”
Ahn’s aides stuck with a cautious tone over Kim’s departure, but at the same time showed expectation toward his possible cooperation.
Rep. Moon Byeong-ho, one of Ahn’s closest confidants, who also left the Minjoo Party, said, “As far as I know, Ahn and Kim broadly shared the need to cooperate.” He added that a wait-and-see approach is needed at this stage over which decision Kim will make.
Another of Ahn’s aide told reporters on the condition of anonymity, “We expect Kim to join Ahn’s new party. We expect him to play a role in achieving new politics and realigning the opposition bloc.”
Ahn’s aides believe that the participation of Kim, one of the most influential figures of the opposition camp, with Ahn would help raise the latter’s approval ratings further.
In recent polls, Ahn’s new party has emerged as the most popular opposition party even before its official launch.
A survey, conducted by Media Research, a private pollster, on Dec. 28 and 29, showed Ahn’s party garnering support of 18.3 percent after the ruling Saenuri Party’s 28.7 percent. The Minjoo Party ranked third, only securing 16.6 percent.
The Minjoo Party changed its name from the New Politics Alliance for Democracy on Dec. 28, apparently trying to erase vestiges of Ahn, whose symbolic words were “new politics.”
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