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민주통합당은 28일 대선 패배 충격과 후 유증을 수습할 신임 원내대표로 박기춘 의원(3선ㆍ경기 남양주을)을 선출했다.
박 의원은 이날 국회에서 재적의원 127명중 124명이 참석한 가운데 실시된 비대 위원장 겸 원내대표 경선에서 63표를 획득, 58표에 그친 신계륜 의원(4선ㆍ서울 성 북갑)을 5표차로 제치고 당선됐다.
박 의원은 대선 패배의 충격과 후유증을 조기 수습하고 민주당의 쇄신과 변화를 이끌어 가야할 중책을 맡게 됐다. 또 새 정부 출범에 앞서 박근혜 대통령 당선인이 추진하는 정부조직 개편과 총리ㆍ장관 인사청문회 대응 전략을 진두지휘하게 된다.
박 의원은 그러나 업무 효율을 위해 `비대위원장-원내대표' 투톱 체제를 공약하고 자신은 원내대표를 맡기로 함에 따라 민주당은 조만간 비대위원장을 별도로 선출 할 예정이다.
그는 "중차대한 시기인만큼 비대위원장의 역할이 막중하다"라며 "당무위원-의원 연석회의를 열어 교황 선출 방식으로 다수표를 얻은 분이 비대위원장이 되도록 하겠다"고 밝혔다.
계파색이 옅은 중도 성향인 박 의원이 범친노(친노무현) 주류 계열인 신 의원을 제친 것은 대선 패배 책임론에 따른 `주류 심판' 심리가 작용한 때문으로 보인다.
박 의원은 3파전으로 전개된 1차 투표에서 47표를 얻어 신 의원과 함께 공동 1위로 결선투표에 진출했다. 김동철 의원은 29표에 그쳐 예선 탈락했다.
박 의원은 당선인사에서 "민주당을 뼛속까지 바꿔나가겠다. 민주당은 새로운 당을 만드는 것과 같은 마음으로 환골탈태해야 한다"면서 "뿌리깊은 계파-파벌 문화를 없애고 대선 패배에 대한 철저한 반성과 평가를 하겠다"고 약속했다.
대선 패배 이후 범민주 진영을 중심으로 한 신당 창당설 등 야권발 정계개편 움 직임이 이는 가운데 박 의원 당선으로 민주당이 친노 이미지를 벗고 `야권 맏형'의 역할을 해낼지 주목된다.
박 의원은 18대 국회와 19대 국회에서 원내수석부대표를 역임했으며, 박지원 전 원내대표 사퇴 이후 원내대표대행을 맡아왔다. (연합뉴스)
Centrist lawmaker picked as DUP floor leader
The main opposition Democratic United Party on Friday elected neutral third-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ki-choon as its new floor leader.
In a run-off vote, the incumbent vice floor leader beat Rep. Shin Geh-ryoon representing the party’s dominant faction of loyalists to the former President Roh Moo-hyun.
Park, 56, replaces Rep. Park Jie-won, who resigned last week over the party’s defeat in the presidential election.
The new whip is to serve until May to fill the remainder of Park’s one-year term.
His first task will be to hold an election to pick an interim party head. Lee Hae-chan, former chairman, stepped down last month to pave the way for a candidacy merger between its presidential nominee Moon Jae-in and independent Ahn Cheol-soo.
He must also pull together the beleaguered party in the lead up to the April parliamentary by-elections.
Park pledged to eradicate the party’s factional strife and to reinforce its policy prowess.
“Today is to be the last day of interfaction disputes,” Rep. Park said upon his victory.
Of 127 DUP lawmakers, 124 participated in the vote. Park and Shin competed in the run-off after none of the three contestants, including underdog Rep. Kim Dong-cheol, won a majority in the initial round.
Park won 63 votes against Shin’s 58.
Park’s victory is seen as reflecting the skepticism with the pro-Roh faction of the party, blamed for the DUP’s defeat in the Dec. 19 presidential election.
“During the campaigning season, (the pro-Roh figures) would monopolize candidate Moon Jae-in and keep other lawmakers away from him,” Rep. Park said in his address.
“Such partisan divide is hurting the party’s morale.”
He also underlined his field experience as a second-term vice floor leader in a conservative-ruled parliament.
“I have safeguarded the party’s interests, including its number of parliamentary committee chairmanships,” Park said.
“This experience will be crucial in negotiating with the ruling Saenuri Party and the incoming Park Geun-hye administration.”
He refrained from chairing the party’s emergency leadership council, advocating a binary commanding system. A separate vote is to be held to select an interim chief to chair the party until the national convention in May.
By Bae Hyun-jung
(tellme@heraldcorp.com)
