By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Three-term lawmaker Huh Tae-yeol of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) declared his bid Thursday to run for new party chairman, replacing Kang Jae-sup.
As a result, the race has become a three-way contest ― his two competitors are Park Hee-tae, a former five-term lawmaker, and Chung Mong-joon, a six-term legislator.
The party plans to hold a national convention on July 3 to pick the chairman and members of its decision-making Supreme Council.
According to party sources, Chung, who is close to President Lee Myung-bak, is the favorite, although Park having close ties with the President's elder brother, Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, is also considered a strong candidate.
Huh, 63, a confidant of former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, vowed to achieve party unity and independently promote policies.
``Now is the time to put an end to the politics of division. I will make the GNP a united party in which every one can freely exchange opinions and will not feel isolated,'' he said.
He insisted the party be reborn to meet what people expect even before they say it.
Huh criticized incumbent party leaders, claiming they were just looking at what the presidential office said and obeying it.
The three-term lawmaker said the ruling camp should offer support to the government, but at the same time, criticize what it does.
Regarding plans to allow Park's confidants, who left the party after failing to win nominations to run in the April 9 National Assembly elections, to rejoin the party, he urged party leaders to allow all of them to return with no conditions.
Huh passed the state-run civil service examination in 1970 and served as governor of North Chungcheong Province between 1994 and 1995.
He started his political career in 2000 when he was first elected to the National Assembly.