The interim chief of the main opposition party said Wednesday that he has decided to stay in his party and work on winning next month’s general election, three days after he boycotted main party meetings over a nomination feud.



“After much thought, I decided to stay,” Kim Chong-in, interim chair of The Minjoo Party of Korea, said at a press conference. He also apologized to the public for the latest flare-up.

Kim had threatened to leave the party after his self-nomination as the party’s No. 2 proportional candidate invited a backlash from mainstream party members over the past week. He openly slammed his critics for “failing to treat him right” as a veteran politician who had joined the party to “save it” from an anticipated election defeat.

At the press conference, Kim reiterated that the Minjoo Party has many problems to fix in order to win the election and eventually become a ruling party.

Kim also reportedly accepted the party’s request that he maintain the No. 2 proportional candidacy spot.

Kim’s boycott of his post prompted former chairman Moon Jae-in to visit his home to persuade him, and all members of the interim leadership committee to offer to resign to take responsibility in exchange that Kim stays. Kim said he was undecided on whether to accept the members’ resignation. He also added that Moon’s visit was not a significant factor in his decision to stay. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)