Kim Dae-jung to Resign From MDP Presidency |
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South Korean president Kim Dae-jung met with 12 Supreme Council members Wednesday to defuse an internal conflict in the Millennium Democratic Party and said that he would announce his position at a party staff meeting on Thursday.
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South Korean president Kim Dae-jung met with 12 Supreme Council members Wednesday to defuse an internal conflict in the Millennium Democratic Party and said that he would announce his position at a party staff meeting on Thursday.
A high-ranking source at the ruling party said that President Kim would announce his resignation from the MDP presidency leaving it effectively to the party representative Han Kwang-ok to manage. The staff meeting will be held at 2:00pm at party headquarters and be followed by a press statement delivered by Han Kwang-ok.
The president listened to the council��s opinions on the call for Kwon Roh-kap to quit politics and resignation of Park Jie-won, the bringing forward of the party's national convention and changing the MDP leadership. Kim said he would think over their advice. Commenting on rumors that he was going to leave the country for some time, Kwon said this was false and he would not be closing his office in Mapo. Kwon added that he would hold a news conference Friday to counter calls for him to stay away from politics.
Some MDP members have been demanding a drastic party reform in the wake of an official resignation by the key decision making Supreme Council last Friday. Key members offered to step down following their party's crushing defeat in Assembly by-elections late last month.
The reformists state that unless the president makes some major changes they will take group action.
The ruling camp has been torn in a power struggle among different factions and those vying to be the party's next presidential candidate. President Kim allegedly thought over the matter during his trip to Brunei for the ASEAN+3 Summit.
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