PARTIES’ CLASH OVER DP’S PERSONNEL SHIFT

[Anchor Lead]

As its presidential candidate’s approval rating remains stagnant, the ruling Democratic Party decided to reform politics by dramatically overhauling its personnel organization. Its leader Song Young-gil announced that he will not run in the next general election and would not nominate any candidate for the by-elections in Jongno and other districts. In response, the People Power Party criticized the announcement as an insincere ploy ahead of the presidential election but nonetheless is monitoring the situation for ramifications.

[Pkg]

A few days after the Democratic Party presidential candidate expressed remorse and apologized for his past mistakes and senior party members were called to step down... the ruling party proclaimed an all-out personnel reform. DP leader Song Young-gil stepped up to make the announcement. In a surprise press conference, he announced that he would not run in the next general election... and would not nominate any candidate for the three districts where by-elections are planned in March because of Democratic Party members’ fault. Those districts are Jongno in Seoul, Sangdang in Cheongju and Anseong in Gyeonggi.

[Soundbite] Song Young-gil(DP Leader) : "Giving up nominations is a painful decision, but it will help the DP grow as a responsible party."

Song also said that a parliamentary representative will be prohibited from serving four terms consecutively in the same district and that he would hasten the expulsion of three disgraced lawmakers – Lee Sang-jik, Yoon Mee-hyang, and Park Deok-heum. He added that the party would nominate a number of young candidates for local elections. Some called Song’s announcement of political reform as a strategic decision made to boost Lee Jae-myung’s stagnant approval rating. Some DP members even protest that it isn’t possible to prohibit a lawmaker from serving four terms and there was no public discussion on the issue. However, a key member of the Lee Jae-myung campaign team said the party at least is taking the responsibility for the current administration’s misgovernance.

[Soundbite] Lee Jae-myung(DP Pres. Candidate) : "It’s sad but I hope that our determination or resolve can be communicated to the people."

The People Power Party downplayed the DP’s move as a desperate ploy to somehow boost the stagnant approval rating. The opposition party questions the sincerity of the plan.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(PPP Pres. Candidate) : "The DP has been ruling over the parliament so much that it was called a legislative dictatorship or egotistical parliamentary operation. The DP should have done this earlier."

PPP Floor Leader Kim Gi-hyeon proposed that the special prosecution act be passed first in order to reform politics. Nevertheless, the opposition party is monitoring public reaction to the ruling party’s reform plan.