By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Nineteen lawmakers from the Centrist United Democratic Party and the pro-government Uri Party plan to leave Tuesday to prepare for the establishment of a new party, sources said Monday.
As more lawmakers join the move, the new party will likely become the second largest negotiating group with nearly 64 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature.
The lawmakers set to leave were supposed to quit Monday, but delayed the move because CUDP members called for more time to collect opinions from their colleagues.
They have threatened to bolt from the parties, urging party leaders to merge their factions to achieve a coalition of liberal groups.
They include 15 lawmakers from the Uri Party, including Reps. Chung Dong-chea and Kim Hyeong-joo, and four from the CUDP, including Rep. Kim Hyo-seuk.
Those legislators will announce their desertion Tuesday morning and join a preparatory committee for a new party which a group of 45 Uri defectors has prepared, the sources said.
The new party is expected to have 64 members _ 45 Uri defectors, 4 lawmakers from the CUDP and 15 lawmakers from the Uri Party.
Seats in the once-largest Uri Party will be reduced to 58 after the defection.
Co-Chairman Kim Han-gill of the CUDP is also considering joining the new party with his 20 followers in the party, his aides said.
It seems, however, deserters will have a difficult journey to the coalition.
Some Uri lawmakers, including Kim Hyeong-joo, are known as loyalists to President Roh Moo-hyun, which may trigger outcries from other participants.
The embattled party has gone through three rounds of exodus with 23 legislators defecting, including Kim Han-gill since February.
They urged party leaders to achieve the coalition to defeat the main opposition Grand National Party in the Dec. 19 presidential election.
Members of the Democratic Party and a group of Uri deserters created the CUDP June 27.
The merged party discussed ways to unite their forces with the Uri Party, but the CUDP's Co-Chairman Park Sang-cheon insisted that he will not allow some Uri lawmakers to join the merger move.