Ruling party's factional feud at boiling point
Anti-Park faction, loyalists call for each other to leave
By Kang Seung-woo
Rep. Hwang Young-cheul
Rep. Lee Jang-woo / Yonhap
The ruling Saenuri Party is moving closer to a break-up, with a factional war intensifying following the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye.
Those who are loyal to the President and anti-Park lawmakers clashed over party hegemony, Monday, calling for each other to leave.
The National Assembly impeached Park by 234 votes to 56, Friday, meaning that 62 lawmakers from the President’s own party cast their ballots to oust her, given that there are 172 opposition and independent Assemblymen.
The anti-Park group demanded that eight staunch Park loyalists, including Chairman Lee Jung-hyun and former Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan, quit the party, taking responsibility for their failure to prevent the corruption scandal involving the President and her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil.
“The eight pro-Park lawmakers should leave the Saenuri Party,” said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul, the spokesman of the anti-Park faction, describing them as “Choi Soon-sil’s men.”
“Rather than trying to vainly resuscitate the pro-Park faction, they should leave the party immediately for a regrouped Saenuri Party to rebuild conservatism.”
The anti-Park faction, composed of some 40 lawmakers, played a key role in the passage of the impeachment motion, drawing a backlash from loyalists who pushed for Park stepping down in April in a so-called “orderly resignation.”
Hwang’s call came one day after some 50 pro-Park lawmakers decided to form their own organization to fight against the Park dissenters.
In their meeting, they vowed to kick out former Chairman Kim Moo-sung and former floor leader Yoo Seong-min, the de facto leaders of the anti-Park faction.
“Kim is a symbol of betrayal who sought the impeachment of the President for his own political gains and Yoo acts as if he was a victim of the Park administration,” said Rep. Lee Jang-woo, a Supreme Council member. Yoo stepped down from the floor leadership after a five-month tenure last year due to his feud with Park over a revision bill for the National Assembly Law.
“Looking back on the past, Kim and Yoo were the biggest contributors to the inauguration of the Park administration,” Lee added.
The two factions are expected to lock horns over how to form the party leadership, as its chairman plans to resign Dec. 21, following Chung’s resignation, Monday.
Meanwhile, the fight over who should leave the party appears to have to do with its assets and the large number of party members.
The party’s funds amount to 56.5 billion won ($48.3 million) and the number of party members stands at 3.02 million, including 380,000 who pay membership fees.
The size of the funding is nearly quadruple that of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea with 14.6 billion won.
According to the party regulations, there is no stipulation about those leaving the party acquiring a share of its assets.
"It will not be an easy decision to quit the party, leaving the funding and a sizable number of party members,” said a party official.