Main opposition party settles internal feud for now

Moon Jae-in, chairman of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, is trying to solidify his leadership amid the party`s internal feud. He is seeking to have Yoo Seung-hee, an NPAD Supreme Council member, return to her duty after getting the party`s floor leader Lee Jong-kul to return to his on the previous day. However, Yoo is refusing to return, taking issue with the procedure in which Moon appointed Choi Jae-sun as secretary general. Although the party`s top-two leaders agreed on unity, the leadership feud has yet to be settled.

At a Thursday meeting with Moon, the NPAD floor leader asked him to admit his lack of communication during the process of appointments of key party posts. Moon reportedly asked Lee to persuade Yoo to return to work in an attempt to conclude his appointments of the party`s chief policymaker and deputy secretary general after normalizing the party`s Supreme Council.

However, the party`s main faction close to the late former President Roh Moo-hyun and its rival faction are still in conflict over the posts. Reportedly, after the non-Roh faction proposed that Choi be named the chief policymaker, the pro-Roh faction countered it with an offer to leave it up to Moon to appoint the deputy secretary-genral.

The NPAD`s "two top" leaders have joined hands strategically, as they gained what they wanted in the previous day`s meeting. Lee paved the way for resolving the factional feud by saying that the two sides will communicate better in overall party management. Moon also partially addressed the internal conflict as Lee accepted the appointment of Choi as the party secretary-general.

Still, some observers say that Moon protected his practical interest by holding on to his position. One NPAD official said that Moon had accomplished all his goals by adhering to what he wanted even though it had taken him plenty of time. "You might call it endurance but some would find him obstinate," the official said.