The main opposition party over the weekend struggled to contain the fallout from Wednesday’s crushing by-election defeat, attempting to keep public attention focused on the corruption scandal involving key ruling party members, accelerate party reforms and galvanize interest in its floor leadership election this week.
The New Politics Alliance for Democracy continued to put pressure on the prosecution to carry out an in-depth investigation into the graft scandal involving former and incumbent political heavyweights. But it faced mounting calls for a leadership overhaul to seize the political agenda.
The NPAD was seen moving to demand new legislation to create an independent unit to investigate the scandal, which was sparked after claims by late businessman Sung Woan-jong that he gave money to top aides to President Park Geun-hye. Among the listed names are former Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo and former and incumbent presidential chiefs of staff.
The NPAD suffered an embarrassing defeat in last Wednesday’s by-elections for four parliamentary seats, losing three to the Saenuri Party and one to an independent candidate.
The surprise defeat prompted calls for a complete party overhaul, including discussions on whether to align with other opposition forces ahead of next year’s general election.
“If the Park administration attempts to divert public attention from the graft scandal, NPAD will do what it is supposed to do as an opposition party. We will respond in a firm and stringent manner,” said NPAD leader Moon Jae-in at a press conference Thursday.
The party is slated to select a new floor leader this Thursday to steer the party until next year’s general election. Five candidates have so far entered the race.
Reports said that the party members would favor a candidate who can embrace Rep. Chun Jung-bae, a party defector who won by a landslide victory in the NPAD stronghold of Gwangju.
Besides resolving potential intraparty feuds, the leadership is also pressured to work out a legislative standoff with the ruling party. The governing party has been pushing for legislation to provide free child care to children aged 3 to 5 and revamp business laws in Korea ―- both are still pending in the National Assembly.
The opposition party is likely to oppose the legislation unless the ruling party accepts their proposal. NPAD has been demanding that additional government officials be assigned to support the free child care policy. The ruling party has refused this demand, branding it a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Meanwhile, reports said President Park was likely to return to work this week. She has been missing from the political stage since she fell ill after a visit to Latin America last month. During her time off, Park accepted the prime minister’s resignation and issued a statement on the graft scandal.
Now that the governing party has won the by-elections and concluded a plan for pension reforms for public workers, it is expected that the president will push ahead with the government’s labor and public sector reforms.
