Cho Kuk, leader of the Rebuilding Korea Party, holds a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
The minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party said Wednesday it accepted the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s proposal to set up a preparation committee to discuss cooperation ahead of the June local elections, while postponing talks on a possible merger until after the vote.
The decision came a day after DPK leader Jung Chung-rae announced that his party will put discussions on the merger on hold until after the June 3 local elections and form the committee instead to focus on stepping up cooperation.
"We agree with the DPK's proposal for a preparation committee on solidarity and integration," Cho Kuk, leader of the minor party, said during an emergency press conference at the National Assembly.
The Rebuilding Korea Party will convene a party affairs committee within the week to ratify the decision.
Cho added that his party will hold talks with the ruling party to clarify whether the "solidarity" proposed by the DPK entails a coalition ahead of the elections or is largely symbolic.
Jung floated the merger idea late last month, in a move his supporters said would broaden the party's political base ahead of the local elections.
The proposal, however, triggered strong backlash within the party over both the timing and scope of the merger, prompting Jung to drop the plan and apologize to the minor party on Tuesday.
"We accept the apology," Cho said. "But members of our party were deeply hurt by the slander and insults directed at the party, and this must never happen again."
Speaking at a meeting of the DPK's Supreme Council on Wednesday, Jung called on his party members to focus on securing victory in the elections and stop putting energy into the merger proposal.
Source: Korea Times News
