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5 more leave DPK to join new party ahead of general elections

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Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) hold a press conference to announce their departure from the party at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Jan. 15. Yonhap

Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) hold a press conference to announce their departure from the party at the National Assembly in Seoul, on Jan. 15. Yonhap

A group of former lawmakers and mayors quit the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) on Monday, saying they would join a new party that former DPK leader Lee Nak-yon is trying to launch, amid attention over how deep the DPK's split will go.

The departures of the five — former lawmakers Shin Kyoung-min and Choi Woon-youl, former Goyang Mayor Choi Sung, former Bucheon Mayor Jang Deog-cheon and former Jecheon Mayor Lee Keun-kyu — came four days after Lee Nak-yon left the DPK to create a new party of his own ahead of April's general elections.

A day before Lee's departure, three incumbent lawmakers — Reps. Cho Eung-chon, Kim Jong-min and Lee Won-wook — also left the DPK, criticizing the way DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung runs the party, amid views that they are unlikely to win party nominations in the upcoming elections.

The series of departures raised questions about whether there will be more people leaving the DPK, especially sitting lawmakers, and how much impact these will have on the parliamentary elections less than three months away.

On the side of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok left the party in late December and is making preparations to launch a new party amid speculation that defectors from both sides could join hands to create a "big tent" party.

Also Monday, Rep. Ryu Ho-jeon of the minor opposition Justice Party also quit the party.

But the DPK's leadership is skeptical of the possibility that more lawmakers could leave the party.

"Some incumbent lawmakers who expect to lose the party nominations could leave the party, but they won't have much of an impact," a DPK official said. (Yonhap)