Opposition divided over Moon

Rep. Moon Jae-in, right, of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, speaks to Rep. Park Jie-won at a party meeting at the National Assembly, on Nov. 14, to discuss budget policy for next year. / Yonhap

By Yi Whan-woo

The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), is facing an escalating internal conflict over whether Rep. Moon Jae-in, one of its heavyweights, should stand for chairmanship of the party in February next year.

Some of the party’s senior lawmakers are claiming that such a move could deepen strife among factions that could number as high as 10.

They seem to fear that the nominations for the 2016 parliamentary elections and the primary for the 2017 presidential election will largely be in the hands of the pro-Roh Moo-hyun faction if Moon wins the leadership race.

Moon served as former chief of staff for the late President Roh between 2007 and 2008.

They also said that as a 2012 presidential contender, he could capitalize on his possible leadership to run for the presidential election again in December 2017.

The chairman will be selected for a two-year term at the party’s convention on Feb. 8, and will oversee the country’s largest opposition party with 130 lawmakers.

Rep. Moon Hee-sang, the party’s interim leader, has seemingly been supportive of Moon Jae-in, saying, “It’s against democracy to deny an NPAD member a chance to run for the party’s leadership.”

“I think those who are against Moon Jae-in’s possible challenge are making inappropriate demands because they’re afraid of losing the leadership race against him,” he said in an interview, Monday.

“They speculate whether I’m one of the pro-Roh factional members.

“But as the party’s interim-leader, I have an unbiased view toward party factions as well as my fellow lawmakers. I don’t favor any of them,” he added.

He also said it would be not against the party’s regulation for Moon Jae-in to run for the 2017 presidential race even if he is elected as NPAD chairman next year.

Moon Hee-sang’s remarks came after Rep. Park Jie-won’s comment on Nov. 12 that the NPAD should ban the party’s chairman from running in the presidential election. Park, a five-term lawmaker, is seen as a leader of one of the party’s factions.

Between 2002 and 2003, Park served as the former chief of staff of the late President Kim Dae-jung, Roh’s predecessor. He is considered a possible contender for the NPAD chairmanship.

Rep. Kim Dong-cheol, a three-term lawmaker, said both Moon Jae-in and Park should not be allowed to run for the party’s leadership. On Nov. 3, Kim instead announced he would run for the post.

“Moon Jae-in and Park are the ones responsible for the party’s consecutive defeats in the two previous presidential elections,” Kim said. He referred to the opposition’s loss in the presidential elections in 2007 and 2012, respectively.

“Our chairman should be someone who is capable of helping the party win the next presidential election. Moon Jae-in and Park are not qualified for the job,” he said.

Pundits speculate that NPAD lawmakers who are not part of the pro-Roh faction could create an alliance to deter Moon Jae-in.

A preparatory committee for the leadership election was launched on Nov. 13.