By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The liberal United New Democratic Party will select a new chairman today through papal election-style voting.
Former Gyeonggi Gov. Sohn Hak-kyu is considered the most viable figure for the chairman based on support from those who were first elected to the National Assembly in 2004 and legislators from Seoul and vicinity, party sources said Wednesday.
However, the sources said he may fail to gain more than a half the votes because other factions are worried that he may give his followers more opportunities to run in the National Assembly elections slated for April 9.
Rep. Woo Won-shik, who is supported by civic groups as well as some young legislators, threw his hat into the ring Wednesday to vie with Sohn.
``To overcome the current difficult situation, the party needs to change from within first,'' Woo said in a radio interview. ``If the party goes with Sohn for the general elections, it would obscure the party's identity.''
Citing Barrack Obama's earlier lead in the U.S. Democrats' primary, Woo, 51, stressed young leadership.
Sohn, 61, left the conservative opposition Grand National Party (GNP) last March after his support continued to hover lower than Lee Myung-bak who was elected president in the Dec. 19 election.
Meanwhile, pro-Roh Moo-hyun legislators plan to support former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan and former lawmaker Choo Mi-ae is also considered a possible candidate, according to party sources.
The UNDP's Central Committee decided Monday to select the new chairman through a process which continues until one figure gains an absolute majority.
Some senior officials including Chyung Dai-chul, an advisor to the party, opposed the method but he soon accepted the decision saying it is not right to give the public an impression that he is obsessed with the top position.
Even though Sohn has kept silent amidst all the fuss, his confidants cast a favorable outlook that he can stand as new head without much difficulty.
Rep. Woo Sang-ho said he doubts other factions can stop Sohn from receiving a majority of votes.