Main opposition party leader Rep. Moon Jae-in Tuesday rejected demands by dissenting party members that he step down, in an escalating power game between the current leadership and the sidelined faction ahead of next year’s parliamentary race.

The chairman of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy refused to accept a proposal from former cochairman Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and other nonmainstream lawmakers to hold a national caucus early next year and elect a new leadership before the 2016 general elections. 

“I can’t accept it under any circumstances,” Moon said at a press forum, saying the caucus would only deepen the party division before the elections.

The aggravating in-house power battle is expected to further hurt the chances of the NPAD against strong rival Saenuri Party that enjoys 42.9 percent of approval ratings, against its 26.9 percent, in the latest poll by Realmeter.

Claiming that the dissenters’ demand was due to “their fear of being dropped from the (parliamentary race) nomination as they were in bottom 20 percent regarding performance,” Moon warned against their threats to bolt if he did not accept their proposal.

“I do not think it is right for those suggesting defection for sake of the people. I look at it as their way to simply put pressure on me,” Moon said.

There has been hubbub over a potential division of the NPAD following a series of defections by party heavyweights such as Rep. Chun Jung-bae, resignation from key posts by senior lawmakers and suggestions of some of the dissenting lawmakers that they are considering leaving the party.

The latest was Rep. Joo Seung-yong who announced on Tuesday that he would resign as member of the Supreme Council, denouncing Moon for failing to unite the party that has been suffering from severe infighting. The dissenters claim the election nominations could be tilted in favor of Moon associates.

Ahn, who had reiterated his demand for Moon to step down on Sunday, stayed out of the public eye for the past two days, with party insiders suggesting he is mulling to bolt from the party if Moon resists.

Moon, mindful of the scenario, said, “Ahn is a cofounder of the NPAD. I don’t think he would leave just because I refuse to step down.”

“I am not saying that they should leave if they want to, but pleading that (they) shouldn’t.”

Reiterating his determination to lead the NPAD’s efforts to win 2016 general elections and 2017 presidential elections, Moon floated the idea of bringing in the United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the party, after his term ends.

“Ban virtually comes from the NPAD. We have made him the U.N. secretary-general,” said Moon referring to the fact that Ban served as South Korea’s foreign minister from 2004 to 2006 during the late Roh Moo-hyun administration where Moon worked as presidential chief of staff.

According to a Nov. 30 survey by local pollster Realmeter, Ban ranked the most favorable candidate for the presidential election. His approval rating was 23.6 percent, followed by Moon’s 22 percent and Saenuri Party chairman Kim Moo-sung’s 21.1 percent. 

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