By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Former Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-kyu, an independent, has come under fire over his qualifications to be a presidential candidate from both the pro-government camp and the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP).
The two sides insist that Sohn, 60, is not eligible to run for the Dec. 19 presidential election, citing his desertion from the GNP on March 19.
He belonged to the party for more than 14 years, but is now trying to run for the presidential race on the ticket of the pro-government camp.
Election experts speculate that the double attack aims at forcing him from the race because of his increasing support and rumors of an alliance with former President Kim Dae-jung.
The former governor is the most favored candidate among probable pro-government presidential hopefuls in surveys and lawmakers are increasingly jumping on the Sohn bandwagon.
The GNP criticized Sohn's desertion and candidacy, calling him a traitor.
``If a turncoat like Sohn wins the presidency, politics here may be a stage for traitors,'' GNP spokeswoman Na Kyung-won said.
Presidential hopefuls from pro-government blocs such as the Uri Party and the Centrist United Democratic Party (CUDP) also took jabs at Sohn.
``How can we win the presidential election with a candidate from the GNP?'' said Chun Jung-bae, a former Uri legislator. ``A reform-minded lawmaker should stand for the election to defeat the conservative GNP.''
Sohn served as minister of health and welfare between 1996 and 1997 and Gyeonggi governor between 2002 and 2006 with the GNP's support.
He even announced his presidential bid while in the GNP, but quit the party as his support hovered at only around five percent in surveys.
The possible alliance with former President Kim Dae-jung is also fueling the offensive against Sohn.
Sohn has insisted that he is the right person to succeed Kim who still has great clout in Korean politics and with the public.
As former lawmaker Seol Hoon, a confidant of the former president, took part in Sohn's camp Sunday, the GNP claimed that Kim is pulling strings behind Sohn.
Opposition sources expressed concern that Kim's backing might affect the popularity of its two strong contenders _ former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, 66, and former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, 55.
According to the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper Monday, Lee topped its survey with support of 38.3 percent, followed by Park with 25 percent.
Sohn placed third with 8.9 percent but garnered the most support of 25.8 percent among probable pro-government candidates in the poll.