The main opposition Democratic United Party appointed Kang Chul-kyu, Woosuk University president and former Fair Trade Commission chairman, to lead the party’s candidate nomination screening committee for the upcoming April general elections.

Kang has chaired various organizations, including the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice, the Regulatory Reform Committee and an anti-corruption committee, which is the former body of the current Anti-corruption and Civil Rights Commission.

Throughout his career, Kang has widely been known for his contribution to conglomerate reform and anti-corruption campaigns, according to officials. The 67-year-old is a Seoul National University graduate with an economics major and earned an economics Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

“Kang has dedicated his life to public interest and is thus the very man suitable for the position to lead our party’s reforms,” said DUP chairperson Han Myeong-sook in the party’s Supreme Council meeting Wednesday.

“He will also maintain the right balance between theory and practice, as he has been involved both in academic circles and in civic groups.”

The party is expected to select the remaining members and kick off the 15-member panel within the week, according to officials.

The DUP’s announcement came a day after its rival, the ruling Grand National Party, unveiled its committee member list.

The GNP, reflecting its efforts for reform, mostly allocated non-parliamentary experts to the key posts.

Former prosecutor and Korea Legal Aid Corporation director Chung Hong-won and Seoul National University Law School dean Chong Jong-sup were respectively named chairman and vice chairman of the GNP nomination screening panel.

“Those who aspire to take parliamentary seats for their own interest do not deserve to be nominated,” said Chung.

The candidate screening is regarded as a key development before the April race as both camps have pledged to reshuffle a considerable proportion of their current members.

The GNP earlier decided to rule out at least 25 percent of its current lawmakers from nomination, based on their achievements and public poll results.

The DUP, on the other hand, is currently considering a mobile voting system in which the candidates are recommended directly by the public.

As candidates for the general elections are to register themselves to the National Election Commission by March 23, parties are expected to receive recommendations by mid-March at the latest, according to officials.

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