DATE=2/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=S. KOREA POLITICS (L-ONLY)CQ
NUMBER=2-259508
BYLINE=HYUN-SUNG KHANG
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: South Korea's ruling coalition has collapsed,
ahead of crucial elections due in just over a month's
time. The United Liberal Democrats have pulled out of
their alliance with the president's New Millenium
party. As
Hyun-Sung Khang reports from Seoul, the break
comes amidst accusations that the president's
supporters have been campaigning against a leading
member of the U-L-D.
TEXT: The partnership between the United Liberal
Democrats and the New Millenium party in President Kim
Dae Jung's government, was always a marriage of
convenience. But with just over a month to go before
important parliamentary elections, the U-L-D announced
it is completely giving up its role in the ruling
coalition and being reborn as an opposition party.
The U-L-D says there will be no further cooperation
with the President's New Millenium Party in the
running of the government or in campaigning for the
upcoming elections.
The break follows accusations by the United Liberal
Democrats, that supporters of the president have been
campaigning against U-L-D members, including the
party's founder and honorary chairman, Kim Jong-Pil.
Last month, Mr. Kim was included on a list of
politicians denounced as "incompetent and corrupt" by
an alliance of civic groups. The U-L-D says
presidential aides, opposed to a coalition government,
worked with the civic groups in compiling the list.
The South Korean president publicly backed the action
of the Civic Alliance, even though members of his own
party were included on the blacklist. In a statement,
the U-L-D said President Kim Dae-jung's action implied
support of the civic groups' criticism of the U-L-D's
honorary chairman. The Presidential Office denies that
is the case.
Tensions between the two ruling parties were further
heightened when the president's New Millenium Party
gave the go-ahead for one of its own candidates to
run in traditional U-L-D political heartlands.
A spokesman for the president says he regrets the
United Liberal Democrat's action, adding it appears
impossible to maintain the partnership
for the forthcoming elections. He notes that without
the support of the United Liberal Democrats, it would
have been impossible to accomplish South Korea's first
ever transfer of power to an opposition party.
It was just over two years ago that Kim Dae Jung, --
with the help of the U-L-D -- won the presidency with
a razor-thin majority. In return for its help, he
appointed U-L-D members to important positions in the
government. The U-L-D holds three posts in his
government, including that of Prime Minister.
The collapse of the ruling coalition will now pit the
president's party against three opposition groups in
April's election. They will be fighting over 299
seats in South Korea's unicameral legislature.
NEB/SHK/FC
24-Feb-2000 06:29 AM EDT (24-Feb-2000 1129 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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