By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
A two-way contest is expected in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) to elect new chairman and members of the party's decision-making Supreme Council. The party plans to hold a national convention July 6 to elect new leaders.
Choo Mi-ae, a three-term female lawmaker, is emerging as a viable candidate since she topped surveys leaving her rivals trailing.
Political analysts said her aggressive approach to tackle issues lies behind her popularity.
Chung Sye-kyun, a three-term legislator who led the now-defunct Uri Party, the de facto predecessor of the UDP, is in hot pursuit of her with a managerial-style leadership.
Incumbent Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu is not seeking reelection.
According to a poll of 700 adults aged over 19 years conducted by the local broadcaster CBS June 10-11, Choo garnered 15.1 percent of the support.
Choo, often called ``Joan of Arc,'' made a successful return to the National Assembly after she failed to win the elections in 2004. She has strong support among former members of the Democratic Party (DP), which was absorbed into the UDP, as well as ordinary citizens.
Due to her previous affiliation with the DP, however, she is not getting as much support from UDP members as Chung, party sources said.
She passed the state bar exam in 1982 and served as a judge for 10 years from 1985. She began her political career in 1996 when she was elected to the Assembly. She also served as a Supreme Council member of the New Millennium Party, the predecessor of the Uri Party.
Choo plans to declare her bid next Tuesday, her aides said.
Chung, who worked as chairman of the Uri Party twice, in 2005 and 2007, is expected to launch a bid for the party chairmanship this weekend at the earliest, his aides said.
He will present measures to revamp the liberal party based on his rich political experience, they said.
Chung enjoys support from party members with his gentle image and stable performance shown while heading the now-defunct Uri Party.
In the CBS survey, he placed second with 8.1 percent of support.
Chyung Dai-chul, an adviser to the party, followed him with 5.3 percent of support but he may give up his bid as rumors have it that he is seeking an alliance with Choo.
The party plans to hold six rounds of television debate and press conferences to publicize candidates' campaign pledges from Wednesday.
Despite the party's efforts to regain public support, however, citizens are less interested in the leadership race than they were before, the survey showed.
About 48.7 percent of the respondents, almost double that previously, said they have yet to decide whom they will support.