Ahn’s bloc expands with another NPAD defection

Another opposition lawmaker on Wednesday left the New Politics Alliance for Democracy to follow Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, foreshadowing the division of the main opposition party ahead of next year’s general elections.

Rep. Lim Nae-hyun announced that he defecting from the NPAD to join a new political group spearheaded by Ahn. His split brings the number of defectors from the embattled party to five since Ahn left the party on Dec. 13. 

“Together with Ahn’s new party, I will clear up backward liberal politics. Through appealing to the moderates and rational conservatives, I will raise hopes that we will achieve a change of government,” said Lim in a press conference.

He became the second lawmaker representing the opposition’s political stronghold of Gwangju to defect. Only four of eight representing Gwangju remain in the NPAD. Among them, three are reportedly leaning toward also leaving the party.

Rep. Kwon Eun-hee, who was elected in Gwangsan district of Gwangju, told reporters that she would make a decision by the end of this week. Reps. Chang Byoung-wan and Park Hae-ja, both representing different districts in Gwangju, are canvassing their constituents before determining their moves.

With the number of defectors increasing enough to threaten to divide the NPAD, which has been beset by fractional infighting amid flagging support, observers noted that the opposition’s bigwigs hold sway over whether the party’s dissenters would join the defectors and split the liberal blocs.

Rep. Kim Han-gil, who cofounded the NPAD with Ahn, threatened to leave the party unless Moon resigned before the 2016 general elections. Kim’s faction is believed to include more than 10 NPAD lawmakers, enough to build the third-biggest party and threaten the NPAD’s main opposition status.

“For the last time, I sincerely urge Moon to sacrifice himself as a leader and bring the opposition bloc a victory in next year’s general election. Time is running out and my concerns run deeper,” Kim said on Facebook on Sunday.

As a gesture to reach out to Kim, Moon accepted a plan to create an organization to manage the NPAD’s election campaign earlier than scheduled. If the plan were implemented, Moon would practically hand over power to the election organization.

Moon also reiterated that he would not tolerate any dissenters’ attempts to divide the party, casting the defectors as “antireform” politicians. Moon had announced that he would not nominate those who refused to undergo the party’s assessment of underachieving lawmakers.

“Division is a path to inevitable defeat. Everyone knows that. Defection and division are not justified regardless of their causes. ... I will show the voters who is on the side of reforms. The voters will not tolerate those who act like reformists,” Moon said Wednesday. 


By Yeo Jun-suk
(jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)