By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff reporter
Chung Doo-un, 53, a close associate of President Lee Myung-bak, announced Tuesday his candidacy for chairman of the governing Grand National Party (GNP).
He is the first lawmaker to declare a bid to run in the party's upcoming national convention, which will be held sometime between July 10 and 14, prior to the July 28 National Assembly by-elections.
"I'll be a trailblazer in renewing the party," Chung told reporters at the National Assembly. "As I'm ready to become a more responsible politician and don't wish to be a spectator anymore, I hereby declare my bid for the party leadership."
Despite being a close confidant to Lee, he underlined that the GNP should play the role of a watchdog to the administration.
Chung served as deputy mayor in 2002 and 2003 when Lee was mayor of Seoul, and played a pivotal role in helping Lee win a landslide victory in the 2007 presidential race.
"The GNP should respect the views of Cheong Wa Dae, but it should remain independent from it," he said.
Following a crushing defeat in the June 2 local elections, many reform-minded lawmakers are urging the party to keep some distance from the Lee administration to regain public support.
They say the recent election outcome reflects the public's disapproval of the presidential office's unilaterally pushing multi-billion-dollar construction projects without properly consulting with the opposition, and demanding that the ruling party blindly follow its instructions.
Meanwhile, former GNP Chairwoman Park Geun-hye said she has no intention to run in the forthcoming party leadership contest.
"I will not run at the convention," Park said.
A recent poll found that nearly half of the public believe Rep. Park, the eldest daughter of the late President Park Chung-hee, is the most qualified person to lead the conservative party -- 42.1 percent of respondents chose her, six times more than any other politician.
Former GNP Chairman Chung Mong-joon and other party leaders resigned a day after the local elections to take responsibility for the party's defeat.
In the local polls, which was widely regarded as a midterm referendum on President Lee's leadership, the conservative party won only six of the 16 gubernatorial and mayoral races, while the rival main opposition Democratic Party garnered seven.