ID :
192817
Mon, 07/04/2011 - 15:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/192817
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Outspoken lawmaker elected new ruling party leader
(2nd LD) SEOUL, July 4 (Yonhap) -- The Grand National Party (GNP) on Monday elected an outspoken prosecutor-turned-lawmaker, Hong Joon-pyo, as its new chairman, as the conservative ruling party is struggling to regain popular confidence ahead of next year's major polls.
In the party's national convention held at Seoul's Olympic Gymnastics Hall, the 57-year-old Hong garnered 41,166 votes, followed by Yoo Seung-min, a close aide to Park Geun-hye, a strong presidential hopeful, with 32,157 votes, the party's election commission announced.
"I'll now start reforming the GNP. We should be reborn as a genuine conservative party," Hong said in his acceptance speech.
"I came to the center of the party from the edge. But I will not forget about the spirit from the margin, and I will work hard to bring victory to the GNP in the parliamentary and presidential elections next year."
The GNP's new leadership election was based on a 7-to-3 combination of votes from a 210,000-member electoral college and the outcome of a two-day telephone survey of 3,000 people held over the weekend.
Among a total of seven candidates, four runner-ups -- Reps. Yoo, Na Kyung-won, Won Hee-ryong and Nam Kyung-pil -- were chosen to serve in the party's supreme council, its top decision-making body.
Except Yoo, who was elected in the southeastern city of Daegu, the rest of the lawmakers, who are all in their late 40s and 50s, were elected in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Throughout the campaign period, political debates centered on economic and welfare issues, such as college tuition, tax cuts on corporations and the wealthy, and free lunch programs.
Political watchers have warned that the GNP stands to lose many of the 171 seats that it currently has in the 299-member National Assembly unless it turns voter sentiment around amid negative perceptions about the grim job market and growing income disparity under the pro-business Lee Myung-bak administration.
With Lee in his fourth year of a single five-year term, political watchers are keeping an eye on how the new party leader will keep pace with the current president over key policies and how he will produce a future presidential candidate from the ruling camp.
Park Geun-hye, a former party leader and daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, has been considered as a strong contender for December 2012 presidential election. She has so far topped polls, far ahead of opposition candidates, including Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party.
Hong will succeed Ahn Sang-soo, who stepped down in May to take responsibility for the GNP's humiliating defeat in April's by-elections.
The 57-year-old Hong said the GNP needs a "warrior leader," not a "stylist," to help the ruling party reform itself and win next year's parliamentary and presidential elections. He said he knows what it's like to suffer from job instability, debt and high housing rental prices.
"Who knows better about the suffering of middle- and low-income people? I will reinforce polices for those people," he said.
The prosecutor-turned-lawmaker also promised to root out corruption within the party, like he did in the 1990s when he cracked down on a slot machine gambling scandal, resulting in massive arrests of powerful gangsters as well as politicians.
"I will put the brake on draft dodging, tax evasion and real estate speculation. And I will put (these irregularities) into consideration when nominating candidates to run for next year's general elections."
Hong, who doesn't spare bitter words against the government and other politicians, tried to shake off concerns that he may hamstring Lee's reform agenda in the domestic political scene during the remainder of the president's term that ends in early 2013.
"If the party and the presidential office conflict with each other, we will sink together," Hong said in his pre-vote address. "I will try to harmonize with the presidential office."
President Lee, now on a visit to South Africa to promote PyeongChang's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, said through his spokesman that he expects Hong to smoothly lead the party, as he is full of experience, knowledge and judgment.
While Hong's victory has been somewhat expected after his early lead in polls, lesser-known Yoo's higher-than-expected second place created a surprise scene at Monday's convention.
Elected in the southeastern city of Daegu, Yoo, a close aide to Park Geun-hye, the front-runner of the next presidential race set for next December, garnered ballots from Park supporters, raising speculation that Park may play a greater role within the party under the new leadership.
Hong himself said during the campaign that he will try to protect Park.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
In the party's national convention held at Seoul's Olympic Gymnastics Hall, the 57-year-old Hong garnered 41,166 votes, followed by Yoo Seung-min, a close aide to Park Geun-hye, a strong presidential hopeful, with 32,157 votes, the party's election commission announced.
"I'll now start reforming the GNP. We should be reborn as a genuine conservative party," Hong said in his acceptance speech.
"I came to the center of the party from the edge. But I will not forget about the spirit from the margin, and I will work hard to bring victory to the GNP in the parliamentary and presidential elections next year."
The GNP's new leadership election was based on a 7-to-3 combination of votes from a 210,000-member electoral college and the outcome of a two-day telephone survey of 3,000 people held over the weekend.
Among a total of seven candidates, four runner-ups -- Reps. Yoo, Na Kyung-won, Won Hee-ryong and Nam Kyung-pil -- were chosen to serve in the party's supreme council, its top decision-making body.
Except Yoo, who was elected in the southeastern city of Daegu, the rest of the lawmakers, who are all in their late 40s and 50s, were elected in the Seoul metropolitan area.
Throughout the campaign period, political debates centered on economic and welfare issues, such as college tuition, tax cuts on corporations and the wealthy, and free lunch programs.
Political watchers have warned that the GNP stands to lose many of the 171 seats that it currently has in the 299-member National Assembly unless it turns voter sentiment around amid negative perceptions about the grim job market and growing income disparity under the pro-business Lee Myung-bak administration.
With Lee in his fourth year of a single five-year term, political watchers are keeping an eye on how the new party leader will keep pace with the current president over key policies and how he will produce a future presidential candidate from the ruling camp.
Park Geun-hye, a former party leader and daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, has been considered as a strong contender for December 2012 presidential election. She has so far topped polls, far ahead of opposition candidates, including Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party.
Hong will succeed Ahn Sang-soo, who stepped down in May to take responsibility for the GNP's humiliating defeat in April's by-elections.
The 57-year-old Hong said the GNP needs a "warrior leader," not a "stylist," to help the ruling party reform itself and win next year's parliamentary and presidential elections. He said he knows what it's like to suffer from job instability, debt and high housing rental prices.
"Who knows better about the suffering of middle- and low-income people? I will reinforce polices for those people," he said.
The prosecutor-turned-lawmaker also promised to root out corruption within the party, like he did in the 1990s when he cracked down on a slot machine gambling scandal, resulting in massive arrests of powerful gangsters as well as politicians.
"I will put the brake on draft dodging, tax evasion and real estate speculation. And I will put (these irregularities) into consideration when nominating candidates to run for next year's general elections."
Hong, who doesn't spare bitter words against the government and other politicians, tried to shake off concerns that he may hamstring Lee's reform agenda in the domestic political scene during the remainder of the president's term that ends in early 2013.
"If the party and the presidential office conflict with each other, we will sink together," Hong said in his pre-vote address. "I will try to harmonize with the presidential office."
President Lee, now on a visit to South Africa to promote PyeongChang's bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, said through his spokesman that he expects Hong to smoothly lead the party, as he is full of experience, knowledge and judgment.
While Hong's victory has been somewhat expected after his early lead in polls, lesser-known Yoo's higher-than-expected second place created a surprise scene at Monday's convention.
Elected in the southeastern city of Daegu, Yoo, a close aide to Park Geun-hye, the front-runner of the next presidential race set for next December, garnered ballots from Park supporters, raising speculation that Park may play a greater role within the party under the new leadership.
Hong himself said during the campaign that he will try to protect Park.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
