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A former floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party said Tuesday the political breakup will take some time as the ultimate goal of such a move is to strive for a "balanced conservatism" in the country and not independence itself.
"There's no need to leave the party, if Saenuri strives to become a true conservative party," said Rep. Yoo Seong-min, a leading member of Saenuri's dissenter group that has been at odds with President Park Geun-hye and her loyalists. On Monday, the dissenters group proposed that Yoo should head its emergency committee and warned they would leave if the proposal is not accepted by those loyal to the president.
Saenuri has been suffering from the factional feud amid Park's alleged corruption scandal, which led to her impeachment earlier this month.
While the dissenters group says Saenuri should seek a full reshuffle to regain the public's trust, Park loyalists have countered that now is not the time to engage in infighting and said those that disagree should leave.
"If our main goal was just to leave, we can always find excuses. But that's not our goal," Yoo said.
Yoo served as the party's floor leader in 2015 and was forced to step down over disagreements with the president.
Political pundits said the dissenters group will also need time to win the support of more lawmakers, as South Korean parties must secure at least 20 lawmakers to establish a negotiation body at the National Assembly.
Yoo said he is also open to staying in the party and reforming it.
"But if Park loyalists, including new floor leader Chung Woo-taik, only chase their political interests and remain reluctant to reform, there will be no hope," Yoo said.
Chung, a Park loyalist, was elected as the new whip through an in-house vote, which came as a disappointment for impeachment supporters. His predecessor Chung Jin-suk, who is viewed as neutral, stepped down in response to the passage of the impeachment.
(YONHAP)
