By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Two liberal parties who had agreed to merge are differing over the sharing of power in the coalition, which is slowing down negotiations.
In the first round of talks Thursday, the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) and the Democratic Party (DP) only agreed to hold two rounds of television debates as soon as possible.
They cancelled their second round of negotiations scheduled for Friday due to differences over the issue of power sharing.
Some UNDP lawmakers urged party leaders to propel a merger with the Creative Korea Party (CKP) to challenge the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) in the Dec. 19 presidential election.
The UNDP negotiating group suggested revising the merger agreement, struck on Monday with the DP, to hold a national convention next June and share power on a equal basis in the coalition.
The group is worried that the accord could invite an internal dispute as certain factions within the party are against the coalition _ essential a reunion of two parties that broke apart four years ago.
President Roh Moo-hyun successfully ran for the 2002 presidential election on the ticket of the now-defunct Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), the predecessor of the DP, but deserted it after his election to create the Uri Party, the de facto predecessor of the UNDP, with his supporters.
About 20 UNDP lawmakers, mostly Roh loyalists such as former Minister of Health and Welfare Rhyu Si-min, called for renegotiations of the merger.
He said the liberal parties' coalition to challenge the conservative GNP is like a food with an ``expired date'' unless it has persuasive and consistent policies.
On the other hand, the DP reiterated its position that there will be no renegotiation.
``Only one side may control the new party if the two parties don't share equal power,'' Rep. Choi In-kee of the DP said. ``A national convention should take place as planned because an early gathering could cause some lawmakers to focus on a power game only, not the presidential race.''
The UNDP has 140 seats in the 299-member National Assembly, while the DP has only eight.
The two parties agreed to hold a convention after the parliamentary elections next April. But some UNDP lawmakers insisted the national convention should be held earlier to prepare for the elections.
The two sides plan to hold televised debates next Monday and Tuesday, and conduct a nationwide survey from Nov. 23-24 to pick a unified candidate.
Political observers are skeptical as to whether the unified nominee can defeat leading candidate Lee Myung-bak of the GNP because the combined support of UNDP candidate Chung Dong-young and DP nominee Rhee In-je is far behind that of Lee.
Also, the CKP candidate Moon Kook-hyun has refused to join hands with the UNDP, despite repeated proposals to do so.