Parties in dilemma over defectors' return
By Kim Hyo-jin
Yoo Seong-min
Lee Hae-chan
Rival parties are in a quandary over whether to reinstate independent lawmakers-elect who quit their respective parties to stand in the April 13 general election.
Rep. Yoo Seong-min applied to rejoin the Saenuri Party, Tuesday, angering loyalists to President Park Geun-hye who are concerned about him emerging as a leading factional figure within the party.
Rep. Lee Hae-chan has also decided to return to the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), embarrassing its interim leader Kim Chong-in, who exerted influence by excluding the veteran lawmaker from the list of candidate nominations. The followers of late President Roh Moo-hyun’s legacy have welcomed Lee’s request while Kim appears to be disgruntled.
The controversy over their comeback is likely to fuel factional feuds in both parties in the aftermath of the election.
Still, Park loyalists remain reluctant to accept Yoo and some have even expressed hostility toward him.
“Yoo had a huge impact on the party’s humiliating election defeat,” said a pro-Park lawmaker.
Lee Hahn-koo, the head of the party’s nominations committee, also opposed his return, saying, “If he joins again, the party will lose its ideological orientation.”
Observers say that such responses are natural because Yoo’s reinstatement could be interpreted as an acceptance of leadership mismanagement during the candidate nominations.
Park loyalists also fear losing ground if Yoo seizes the party leadership or decides to rejoin the Saenuri.
The Saenuri only won 122 seats, relegating it to be the second-largest party after the MPK with 123 seats. The lopsided nominations controlled by Park’s aides have been blamed for the stinging setback.
Yoo quit the party amid controversy, denouncing the unfair process which gave loyalists to Park more a ticket for the competition. He ran as an independent lawmaker in Daegu, Park’s political stronghold, clinching a victory with overwhelming support.
“I will do my utmost efforts to regain public trust if I am allowed to rejoin the party,” Yoo told reporters after submitting his application. “I think the people’s anger is beyond the limit. It’s time for the party to renew itself with sincerity and the starting point should be fathoming public sentiment.”
Cho Hae-jin, a lawmaker close to Yoo, who failed to win a seat as an independent candidate, also followed suit.
“Despite concerns by the pro-Park faction, I wonder if Yoo can play the pivotal role in the party when his aides including Cho, Yoo Sung-kull, and Kwon Eun-hee failed to enter the upcoming Assembly,” said Hwang Tae-soon, an analyst at Wisdom Center.
Rep. Lee Hae-chan filed an application form to rejoin the MPK on the same day, saying he will request an apology from Kim regarding his exclusion.
In response, Kim refused, saying “there’s no person who would apologize for making a political judgment.” He added whether to reinstate Lee will be decided according to the party process.
The emergency planning committee is entitled to make a call. Excluding the interim leader Kim, six of the eight members responded positively to Lee’s comeback while the remaining two sit on the fence. Roh loyalists are welcoming Lee, expecting him to play a leading role for the faction.
“However, it will take time for the MPK to make a decision as it could give an excuse to the Saenuri Party to reinstate their independent lawmakers-elect,” Hwang said.