Main opposition picks former presidential aide as new floor leader

SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Friday
elected Rep. Lee Kang-rae, a former presidential aide and a third-term lawmaker,
as its new floor leader, party official said.
Lee, a native of North Jeolla Province, won 46 votes out of the 75 cast to beat
out his closest rival Rep. Kim Boo-kyum, who managed to win 28 votes. Nine
lawmakers of the 84-seat party did not participate in the voting citing personal
reasons.
Lee will succeed Rep. Won Hye-young whose one-year term is set to expire in late
May.
Lee first stepped into politics as a policy advisor to the DP and was later
catapulted into the spotlight after becoming a confidant of former President Kim
Dae-jung. He is known to have played a key role in Kim's election victory and
later served as a senior aide at the presidential office.
"I vow to establish the groundwork for next year's local elections and raise the
party's public approval ratings to over 25 percent by year's end," Lee said at a
press conference after his victory.
The DP's approval rating stood at around 17 percent as of the end of last month.
Lee's victory comes as the DP is grooming its strategy for the National
Assembly's June session to block passage of controversial bills governing media
ownership rules and freedom of expression over the Internet. Since late last
year, rival parties have locked horns over the contentious media laws but have
agreed in March to set up an independent body to review the bills for 100 days.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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