Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, the newly elected chairman of the ruling conservative Saenuri Party, may have vowed an end to factionalism and regionalism, but his obvious intimacy with President Park Geun-hye is expected to deepen the crack between the pro-presidential and non-Park cliques.

While the pro-Park group set to tighten its bond with Cheong Wa Dae during what remains of Park’s term in office, the fringe group is expected to struggle for power recovery, especially with next year’s presidential election in mind.
 

“One would be unqualified as a ruling party lawmaker if (he or she) thinks that standing up to the president and to the government is the equivalent of justice,” said Rep. Lee on Wednesday.

His remarks came during a meeting with Kim Jae-won, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, who visited the party’s headquarters to deliver the president’s congratulatory message in person.

The former presidential secretary for public affairs thereby expressed disapproval of those who do not align themselves with the president, urging for stronger ties between the Blue House and ruling party.

Such a gesture of support for President Park was also taken as the new party chief putting pressure on the non-Park group’s presidential hopefuls, including former party chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung and returned defector Rep. Yoo Seong-min.

It is consequently U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose bid in the 2017 presidential race as a pro-Park figure is largely anticipated, who is likely to benefit from Lee’s tight grip over the non-Park rivals.

Rep. Lee, despite skeptical views on his political equity, vowed to stand against factional agendas.

“From this moment onward, there can be no factions whatever in the Saenuri Party,” he said at the party‘s national convention Tuesday in his acceptance speech.

While the pro-Park cliques focused on the new chairman’s forte, such as his rare position as a re-elected Saenuri lawmaker in the progressive-leaning Jeolla region, dissenters pointed out his lack of communication and unconditional loyalty for the state leader.

Backing up such concerns, Rep. Lee had come under fire earlier this year for attempting to censor news broadcasting in favor of the presidential office.

A voice record file released by former KBS broadcasting chief Kim Shi-gon in late June showed that Lee, who was Cheong Wa Dae’s press secretary in 2014, had demanded KBS revise its media coverage on the Sewol ferry sinking.

Following the ferry tragedy, which left more than 300 dead or missing, the lackluster rescue operation by the now-defunct Korea Coast Guard sparked public anger and led to the breakup of the organization. It also triggered criticism of the government’s lack of proper disaster management capacity.

“The KBS report (which was critical of the KCG) will make people think that this incident took place because of the KCG,” Lee was quoted as saying.

He also said, according to the voice file, the president “happened to have watched” KBS on the corresponding evening, demanding the broadcaster tone down its coverage of the issue.


By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)