The ruling Saenuri Party’s floor leader Chung Jin-suk on Wednesday strongly lamented the thwarted endorsement of his interim chairmanship the day before, saying the “unthinkable has happened” and that he will seriously consider whether to maintain the role.

After attending the ceremony commemorating the May 18 Democratic Uprising, Chung withdrew to an unknown location in his constituency of Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, putting a hold on all party affairs.

The party on Tuesday had failed to hold two key meetings, one to approve Chung as chief of the emergency panel and the other to bestow decision-making power upon the innovation committee, due to the lack of quorum.

It was mostly those close to President Park Geun-hye who boycotted the incoming leadership, accusing its composition of unilaterally excluding the pro-Park faction.

“It is those who ruined yesterday’s event who should take responsibility (over the party’s leadership vacancy),” Chung said, referring to the pro-Park clique.

The boycotting pro-Park group, however, claimed that Chung’s lack of leadership was the trigger for the dispute.

“(Chung) could either apologize and start anew, or else resign, taking responsibility for the feuds,” said Rep. Kim Tae-heum in a radio interview on Wednesday.

Rep. Hong Moon-jong, a senior pro-Park figure, also blamed Chung for acting “arbitrarily” when constituting the incoming interim leadership.

The non-Park members, however, blasted the pro-Park members for prioritizing their interests over that of the party.

“Chung was elected upon the approval of a sweeping majority, including the pro-Park group,” Rep. Kim Sung-tae pointed out.

“If he had to ask for (the president’s) approval over constituting the leadership, why give him the floor leadership position at all?”

Seeking to renew itself amid the results of the April 13 general election, the ruling party has been struggling to elect new leadership that may regain support from the apathetic public. The party secured 122 out of 300 seats in the April race, losing its former parliamentary majority and giving away several of its key constituencies in the metropolitan area.

The party had decided last week that newly elected floor leader Chung would double as the interim chief.  Chung consequently decided to constitute the incoming interim panel mostly with reformist non-Park members, much to the disapproval of the pro-Park group, which formerly held leading power within the party.

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