Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
PDP may be spilt over internal feud
Rep. You Sung-yup, left, floor leader of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP), speaks during a meeting to discuss forming a new party with his party members at the National Assembly, Thursday. Ten PDP lawmakers decided to leave the party. Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The minor opposition Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) is expected to split into two as a result of an internal party feud over the party's direction before the upcoming general election.
Ten lawmakers of the PDP led by its floor leader You Sung-yup pledged Thursday to leave the party unless the party chairman Chung Dong-young steps down from the position.
“We, 10 lawmakers of the PDP, will hold a press briefing on Monday and reveal our plan to form a third party,” You told reporters Thursday.
You added he could retract the decision if he and Chung strike a meaningful deal by Monday. He didn't elaborate on concrete plans for after leaving the party.
The PDP holds 14 seats at the National Assembly. The group of PDP members have been asking Chung to step down as he is responsible for the PDP's low popularity and lack of clear plans for the 2020 general election, making a proposal to form a new party. But Chung declined to do so claiming some PDP members are playing a “power game” against him.