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S.Korean PM Expelled by His Party
South Korea's United Liberal Democrats (ULD) announced Friday morning to expel the party's president Prime Minister Lee Han-dong from the political party.
ULD spokesman Byun Ung-jun said the ULD made the decision to expel Lee in accordance with the party's charter as Lee's stay in prime minister office instead of returning to the ULD seriously hurt the will and feeling of the party and people.
Prime Minister Lee Thursday promised to continue his premiership despite the breakup of the coalition between the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and his United Liberal Democrats (ULD).
"Over the past three days, I have deeply pondered President Kim Dae-jung's earnest request for my remaining in office and finally concluded that it's my duty as a high-level public servant to follow President Kim's will," Lee in a statement Thursday afternoon.
However, in the statement, Lee also said he will not abandon his ULD presidency as it is his duty to do his best as a ULD party member.
Lee submitted his resignation to President Kim Dae-jung Tuesday one day after the South Korean parliament passed a no-confidence motion against Unification Minister Lim Dong-won Monday for his approval of a civic South Korean delegation to Pyongyang last month for the 56th anniversary of the Liberation Day from the Japanese colonial rule.
The opposition Grand National Party submitted the motion last month against Lim, who is the top lieutenant of President Kim sunshine policy toward the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The MDP steadfastly defended Lim but the ULD sided with the opposition in a parliamentary vote, leading to the political breakup between the two parties. Lee and other three cabinet ministers were from the ULD.
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