DISCUSSIONS ON PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES

[Anchor Lead]

Amid continuing internal discord among leading presidential candidates over the timing of a presidential primary, the ruling Democratic Party will hold a meeting of its lawmakers tomorrow to listen to their opinions. Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, one of the opposition bloc's leading presidential hopefuls, is facing hurdles. Yoon's spokesman resigned ten days after his appointment, while allegations are surfacing that there is a dossier about his personal and family affairs.

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The camps of Lee Nak-yon and Chung Sye-kyun, two of the ruling party's leading presidential hopefuls, continued to pressure the party leadership to accept their request to postpone the presidential primary. They insist that the party leadership should not ignore the demand to hold a lawmakers' general meeting and discuss their proposal, which is guaranteed under party rules. But, Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung, another DP presidential hopeful, said such a meeting discussing the possible postponment of the primary is neither legitimate nor valid. It seems the candidates will clash head-on over whether to hold that meeting. DP chairman Song Young-gil decided to hold a general meeting tomorrow after contacting the presidential hopefuls and convening a meeting of the party's supreme leadership over the weekend.

[Soundbite] Koh Yong-jin(DP Spokesman) : "We have accepted the opinions that the timing of the presidential primary is a very important issue and it is better to sufficiently discuss the timetable in a lawmakers' general meeting."

Amid the internal discord, former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is to announce her presidential bid on Wednesday. Meanwhile, former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl is facing some hurdles. His spokesman Lee Dong-hoon abruptly stepped down on Sunday. The resignation came just ten days after his appointment. Lee was the first to join the Yoon camp. Despite Lee's explanations that he quit for health issues, the general view is that he must have been replaced after making premature remarks last week about Yoon's joining of the main opposition People Power Party. There are also disputes over Yoon's credentials. It began after a conservative political commentator said he had obtained a dossier about Yoon's rumored personal and family flaws and it seems difficult for him to dispel the doubts and defend himself.

[Soundbite] Lee Jun-seok(PPP Chief) : "If Yoon really has flaws or faults that are serious enough to be compiled in a confidential dossier, the government would have pressured him already last year based on it."

Although the PPP chief defended Yoon, some people are still not convinced. They note that the allegations were raised by an insider of the conservative camp. It seems likely the rival parties will stage a political battle over the so-called Yoon dossier, as DP chief Song first mentioned its existence.