CINA

본문

DLP on verge of split over ideology (Yonhap, 2.04)

The progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) is likely to break up as its two main factions have failed to narrow differences over whether to maintain strong ties with North Korea's ruling Workers' Party.

The party's moderate faction, focusing on labor, environment and other issues more closely related to people's livelihoods, is said to be preparing to form a new party. Such a move would end eight years of shaky unity, with the DLP's hard-line faction considered to be the country's sole progressive group free from the regionalism that has dominated the country's politics for the past few decades.

Some analysts say the likely breakup may be a boon to progressive forces trying to make inroads among liberal voters with an image focused on people's livelihoods rather than reconciliation with North Korea. Others say both the DLP and the proposed party may collapse, with neither having enough time to woo voters just a couple of months ahead of the April general elections.

Either way, the fate of the DLP may significantly alter South Korea's ideological spectrum amid a resurgence of conservatism following the right-leaning Lee Myung-bak's landslide victory in the Dec. 19 presidential election.

The DLP on Sunday failed to pass a critical motion to expel members related to the "Ilshimhoe scandal" -- involving a clandestine group rumored to have strong ties with North Korea's ruling Workers Party -- widening the existing rift.

The party's moderate members, who supported the motion to expel the pro-Pyongyang lawmakers, left the meeting room in anger amid rumors they will soon bolt from the party and create a new party of their own.

The internal conflict escalated following the DLP's embarrassing defeat in the December presidential election, in which its candidate Kwon Young-ghil garnered a mere 2.8 percent of the vote.

The initial responsibility fell upon Kwon and the party leadership, which resigned en masse, but the DLP moderates blamed the pro-Pyongyang rival faction, claiming the "anachronistic agenda" had driven away many voters.

The latest rift is not very surprising, considering that the two main factions of the DLP have often been in dispute over their ideological beliefs.

The DLP was established in January 2000 with the support of the National Liberation (NL) and People's Democracy (PD) groups. The two mainstream anti-government student organizations were formed in the 1980s when the country was under the authoritarian regime of Chun Doo-hwan, who seized power in a coup after the assassination of his mentor Park Chung-hee. During Park's 19 years of iron-fisted rule until 1979, the country was transformed into an industrialized nation but it faced criticism over human rights violations.

The moderate PD faction worked mainly on advocating laborer's rights, with many of its members joining trade unions to mastermind industrial actions.

The NL faction, holding a majority within the party, is a pro-Pyongyang group that prioritizes reunification of the two Koreas and focuses on stronger ties with the North's Workers' Party.

The DLP emerged as a major political force in 2004 when it won 10 seats in the 299-seat National Assembly under the proportional representation system, based on its 13 percent of the vote in the parliamentary elections.

It was the first time in South Korea's modern history that a non-region-based progressive party gained significant legislative representation.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn by the end of 2006 following the arrest of five party members on charges of spying for the North, leading to the crushing defeat in the Dec. 19 presidential election last year.

Facing growing pressure from the PD faction to push for a party split, or formation of a new party free of the pro-North agenda, Shim Sang-jung, head of an emergency committee to deal with the election's aftermath, proposed a motion to expel two senior staff members of the NL faction.

These members, linked to the North Korea-related scandal, were convicted by the Supreme Court in 2006 of spying for the North.

The terms "spy" and "pro-North Korea" have particularly strong negative connotations in South Korea, especially among members of the older generation who grew up amid high tension between the Koreas in the Cold War era.

But the NL members voted down the motion on Sunday, nullifying the emergency committee's move.

The NL faction claims that linking voter rejection and the North Korean issue is ludicrous. Asserting that progressivism is an "all-encompassing concept," the group insists that rejecting a single liberal policy like the pro-North agenda is unquestionable and that the party must move on and prepare together for the April elections.

Following Sunday's vote, members of the emergency committee led by Rep. Shim are likely to leave the party, which would cause a leadership vacuum just two months ahead of the elections. More PD lawmakers, including Rep. Roh Hoe-chan, are expected to follow suit.
Some political experts propose that the DLP try to stay away from its pro-North Korea image, but do so together.

"The DLP must change the scope of policy to more genuinely progressive credentials," said political analyst Lee Kyung-hun. "As its name symbolizes, it must work harder on protecting the laborers and the low-income bracket -- now a counterpoint to the market advocacy of right-leaning incoming leader Lee Myung-bak."
Political analyst Im Myung-jin of the Progressive Politics Institute agreed.

"Although it appears that conservatives are currently dominant, the decision to elect right-leaning candidates may simply be due to a lack of a better alternative for voters," he said.

"In order for the DLP to keep hold its position -- which is critical for a healthy ideological debate in the nation -- its members must strive to maintain unity among the various interest groups that support the progressive cause," Im added. "After all, they are all in pursuit of the same goal to improve the lives of workers and the underprivileged. Labor and progressives need to stay on the same page."

Related stuff:

☞ DLP Hardliners Throw Out Reform Attempts (Chosun Ilbo, 2.04)

☞ Labor Party moderates begin exodus (JoongAng Ilbo, 2.05)