By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties have been on different pages ever since the plan to turn Sejong City into an educational and business hub instead of a government-centered town was announced.
Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), has been sailing smoothly along as his opponents have refrained from calling for early elections to pick a new leader.
Meanwhile, his Democratic Party (DP) counterpart, Chung Sye-kyun, has been pressed to resign by a group of DP lawmakers who are discontent over the way he is managing the party.
The group, which includes Reps. Moon Hak-jin and Park Joo-sun, said it would be hard for the DP to win the upcoming crucial local elections slated for June 2 under the current leadership.
The Park Geun-hye factor - the former GNP Chairwoman's die-hard opposition to the new plan and her influence in shaping public opinion in Chungchung Province - is a common denominator behind the contrasting scenes.
Park warned Tuesday that the government would end up losing credibility for the new plan, calling it worse than the original relocation plan.
Her remarks came a day after Prime Minister Chung Un-chan unveiled the plan to set up an educational and business hub in Sejong City, about 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
Ranking GNP members, including Chairman Chung, fired back at the former chairwoman for what they called her divisive remarks on the major plan.
GNP floor leader Ahn Sang-soo called for unity, and Chairman Chung asked GNP lawmakers not to send contradictory signals on the issue.
Chung Mong-joon benefitted from the sweeping criticism of Park, as senior GNP members' attention was switched from the internal power struggle to the joint accusation against the former chairwoman.
On the DP's side, Chairman Chung Sye-kyung's leadership has been challenged by the effect of Park and independent lawmaker Chung Dong-young rejoining the party.
A Korea Society Opinion Institute poll conducted on 1,000 Chungcheong residents earlier this week found Park was extremely influential in the region.
About 29 percent of respondents said that Park represented public opinion of the province better than any other politician, followed by DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun (21 percent).
The Park effect has boxed the DP leader in, which is especially troubling for Chung, since he needs to show his strong leadership more than ever if he wants to win the election.
Chung Dong-young is waiting to rejoin the DP, and he will want to prove his leadership by helping the DP achieve big wins in the upcoming elections.
This will require the former unification minister to take over the leadership post in the pre-election season.