Liberals battle in South Korea

Nine members of South Korea's recently formed United New Democratic Party (UNDP) are battling it out to contest the December presidential election to succeed President Roh Moo-hyun.

Five of them will emerge after a preliminary primary this week to take the fight on to its conclusion mid-October. The electorate must brace for feuding as bitter as that which unfolded in the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) this year. (Former Seoul mayor Lee Myung-bak pipped former party leader Park Geun-hye to capture the conservative party's nomination earlier this month.) 

The favourite among the UNDP liberals is Sohn Hak-kyu, but he raises hackles within the party. He defected from the GNP to the ruling Uri party, which has since dissolved itself, rolling members over into the UNDP. Besides mistrust of Sohn, a fracture runs through the UNDP that divides pro-Roh and anti-Roh constituencies. Heated disputes over everything from substantive issues of policy to the definition of primary rules are to be expected, and first round losers are unlikely to take defeat lying down next week. The UNDP looks set for a bruising contest to October, and if the GNP stays on trend, a trouncing at the December election.