Blanked Saenuri reformers prepare to flee the party

The plausibility on the ruling Saenuri Party splitting took shape Tuesday as reformist nonmainstreamers gestured at defecting, following the pro-presidential group’s refusal to compromise over the interim party leadership.

It is the claim of the reformists, who seek to distance themselves from the impeached President Park Geun-hye, that the party should tap Rep. Yoo Seong-min, a ranking non-Park figure, to steer the distressed party until the election of an official party leader.

But the pro-Park members, while vowing to put an end to factional divides, argued that the non-Parks are just as responsible for the current political consequences, denouncing their threats of defection.

“Floor leader Rep. Chung Woo-taik, who is effectively the head of the party’s pro-Park group, has rejected our recommendation of Rep. Yoo as interim chief,” said Rep. Hwang Young-cheul on Tuesday, speaking for the dissenters.

“Considering the urgency of the situation, we shall hold a meeting at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) and finalize our stance (on leaving the party).”

When asked about the detailed format of their Saenuri Party exit, Rep. Hwang said they would “split into a new political party,” instead of going independent.

He also denied rumors on the internal divide within the nonmainstreamers’ group.

“Should there be division of any sort among ourselves, we will face harsh criticism from the people and fail to achieve our goal,” he said.

Meanwhile, a group of pro-Park lawmakers had decided earlier in the morning to disband their recently formed entity in a gesture to put an end to factional feuds.

They, however, continued to disapprove of the non-Parks’ notion of having Rep. Yoo as interim chief.

“From now on, we shall never constitute any group that speaks for the pro-Parks,” said Rep. Jeong Kab-yoon, a fifth-term Park loyalist, pledging to serve for a conservative victory in next year’s presidential race.

“(All of us) should be ashamed of playing a blame game regarding the Choi Soon-sil scandal. It is hard to understand that some lawmakers should seek to shun responsibility.”

“If there is anyone who can navigate through this crisis to bring unity to the (conservative) party, an outsider is also welcome,” Rep. Chung Woo-taik, the floor leader-elect from the pro-Park group, said in a press conference Tuesday.

Rep. Yoo hinted at the high possibility of leaving the party, citing he was willing to “sacrifice” if it helped the sincere reform of the conservative party. Another non-Park leading figure, former Saenuri head Rep. Kim Moo-sung, previously announced he would establish a new party.

For the dissenters, the key task is to gather at least 20 lawmakers to form a negotiation body at the National Assembly and become the No. 3 party at the parliament by garnering at least 40 members to outnumber the 38 seats the People’s Party holds. 

“Possible resignation of the lawmakers should not just be viewed as acts of individuals, but rather a separation process of the conservative party,” Rep. Na Kyung-won said in a radio interview.

By Jo He-rim(herim@heraldcorp.com)