GNP’s Park Geun-hye to offer Na her support


The main opposition Democratic Party’s chairman Sohn Hak-kyu offered his resignation on Tuesday, as a civic activist Park Won-soon was selected as the liberal bloc’s unified candidate.

Park won his ticket to the by-election race on Monday by receiving 52.15 percent of the liberal bloc’s votes, beating the DP candidate Park Young-sun.

“Though I congratulate Park for rightfully winning the sole candidacy, it nevertheless remains that the DP has failed to field its own candidate in the mayoral race,” the DP spokesperson quoted Sohn as saying in the party’s Supreme Council meeting.

“I, as party leader, will step down, taking political and ethical responsibility over the situation.”

As Sohn insisted on his decision, despite the strong opposition from council members, the party is set to put the motion to a vote on Wednesday morning, the spokesperson said.

Should his resignation be accepted, Sohn is to take part in the opposition’s unified election camp and remain humble until the year end, before kicking off his preparation for the presidential race scheduled for next December.

If the council unanimously vetoes Sohn’s resignation, on the other hand, he is expected to recover his leadership.

Sohn nevertheless pledged to support Park in his by-election campaigns, under any circumstances.

Opposition runner Park also asked Sohn to join the election camp and said that he will decide on whether to join the DP within the week.

“I will reach my conclusion before the official candidate registration on Thursday,” Park said in a radio interview. “There is no reason blocking me from doing so, should the DP’s policy vision be in accord with mine.”

While the DP suffered the aftermath of candidate unification, the ruling Grand National Party and its candidate Na Kyung-won picked up momentum.

Eyes are especially drawn on whether the party’s potential presidential frontrunner Rep. Park Geun-hye is to step out to help Na in the race.

“Rep. Park told the party’s secretary-general Kim Chung-kwon that she will offer her support to Na,” said Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, a close aide to the former chairwoman. “She will soon officially announce her stance over the issue.”

Rep. Park has so far remained prudent and refrained from getting involved in the party’s electoral campaigns, but seems to have changed her position after seeing the party’s recent struggles regarding the mayoral by-election.

“Even if Park helps out Na in the by-election, she is expected to do so in a subtle manner, without taking any official title in the camp,” said a close aide to Rep. Park.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)