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Sim Sang-jeong, the chairwoman of the Democratic Labor Party's emergency committee, on Monday threatened to resign after party hardliners threw out her reform proposals. "At the party convention, I confirmed that an outdated faction within the DLP still has a strong grip on the party," referring to the pro-North Korean majority National Liberation faction.
In a press conference, Sim said the convention saw some party members ¡°reveal their callous understanding of the progressive movement in relation to the National Security Law. During the Lunar New Year's Day holidays, I¡¯m going to think hard about how I should react."
Sim hinted she could quit the DLP unless the National Liberation faction abandons its pro-Pyongyang position. "The party reform plan was distorted due to some members' stance on the National Security Law,¡± she said. The NL faction ¡°should give a clear answer to the question whether this party should continue to tolerate some party members' clandestine or one-on-one maintenance of relations with North Korea." Sim added although her reform plan was rejected, ¡°it became far clearer which road we as a trustworthy progressive party should travel."
The remarks effectively kick-started a process that will split the party. Park Yong-jin, a former DLP spokesman who like Sim belongs to the People's Democracy faction and 20 chairmen and 100 members of DLP chapters in Seoul in the group held a meeting and decided to quit the party on Tuesday. DLP lawmaker Roh Hoe-chan is also reportedly considering leaving.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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