Ruling party prepares for new leadership; opposition urges diplomacy on THAAD

새당, 전당대회 전 마지막 비대위+더민주, 의원외교활동 참관말아야+국당, 사드 대결의
In Seoul's parliament... the ruling Saenuri Party is gearing up to elect a new leadership tomorrow... while the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea sends six of its members to China this Monday.
Our Ji Myung-kil from the National Assembly.
Kim Hee-ok gave his final speech the ruling Saenuri Party's interim leader at a meeting on Monday, ahead of a leadership election on Tuesday.

"I hope the Saenuri Party becomes the most disciplined with itself, but at the same time shows the utmost humility and is fully responsible for the people."

Kim urged party members to take pride in the party... and urged them to go back to the basics to win back the hearts of the people.

"Kim has served in his role as interim chief since June, when he vowed to restore the public's trust in the Saenuri Party after it lost its parliamentary majority in the April general election."

On the other side of the aisle, the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea urged the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae to stop criticizing the party for its decision to send a group of six first-term lawmakers to China on Monday.
The party says the purpose of the three-day visit is to prevent Seoul-Beijing relations from deteriorating in the wake of Seoul's decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system to South Korea.

"The president has characterized our efforts at diplomacy as unpatriotic and an act of sympathizing with China. Why does the president have to meddle with the diplomatic activities of opposition lawmakers?"

Both the Minjoo Party and the minor opposition People's Party urged the presidential office to use diplomacy to resolve the THAAD controversy with China.

"We warn the presidential office that diplomacy is the answer, not inciting confrontations."

Park said he was in the city of Mokpo over the weekend and saw that the number of Chinese tourists had sharply decreased,... which he said signaled the start of China's moves to retaliate for the THAAD decision.
Ji Myung-kil, Arirang News.

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