Three-term lawmaker Choi Jae-sung, who is considered a loyalist to former President Roh Moo-hyun, was appointed as secretary general of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy on Tuesday, in spite of opposition from some party members.

The NPAD leader Moon Jae-in, who served as the former chief of staff to late President Roh, has been struggling to bring his party members together, particularly those who belong to the mainstream pro-Roh faction and members of the anti-Roh camp.

NPAD lawmakers who opposed Moon’s decision to appoint Choi claimed it would only bring disharmony to the party, and he should’ve chosen someone who is more neutral in his or her stance on late Roh.

Choi, who is likely to be in charge of preparations for the upcoming 2016 election campaign, is known to have particularly close ties with Chung Sey-kyun, who served as the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy for the Roh administration from 2006-2007.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)