By Park Song-wu
Staff Reporter

Moderate reformist Lee Bu-young on Thursday took over the chairmanship of the ruling Uri Party, replacing Rep. Shin Ki-nam, who resigned amid growing criticism over wrongdoings committed by his father during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule.

With Lee rising to the top post, the governing party saw its second leadership change in three months after Rep. Chung Dong-young, currently Unification Minister, stepped down from the chairmanship on May 17.

``I promise that I will carry out Shin’s reform policies without fail,’’ Lee told reporters. ``I will also give attention to stabilizing the party leadership by successfully hosting a national convention early next year.’’

The majority party, which has 152 lawmakers in the 299-member National Assembly, is scheduled to hold the convention in February to elect standing steering committee members, including the chairperson.

Lee ranked third in the convention in January this year, following Chung and Shin as preferred chairman.

``As I can’t carry out floor activities in the Assembly, I will help floor leader Chun Jung-bae taking on pending issues like the national security law and the fact-finding mission to correct history,’’ the 62-year-old said.

Lee, who switched to the Uri Party from the main opposition Grand National Party late last year, failed to win a seat in the April parliamentary polls.

Announcing his resignation on Thursday, Shin said, ``I am stepping down because I don’t want to undermine the momentum of recovering the national spirit by clearing up the legacies of pro-Japanese collaborators.’’

Coming close to tears, he said that now is the time to reveal the truth of past wrongdoings and urged the ruling party to use the ``painful history’’ of his family to push forward with the party’s plan.

The ruling camp is currently trying to launch a ``truth, reconciliation and future’’ commission in the National Assembly to conduct a comprehensive fact-finding investigation into the abuse of power by past administrations and pro-Japanese collaborators.

Shin apologized for failing to reveal that his father had served as staff sergeant in the Japanese military police, but refused to accept the allegations that he lied about his family history.

He then left the pressroom at the Uri Party headquarters in Yongdungpo, Seoul, declining to answer reporters’ questions.

Shin first came under fire Monday after a monthly magazine published a story on his family background in its latest edition.

The next day, local dailies reported that his father tortured independence fighters, further pushing him to step down. It is not yet clear whether Shin senior tortured them himself or directed those under his command to do so.

High-ranking officials of the Uri Party decided to allow Lee to take over Shin’s job instead of launching an emergency committee, due to fears that an internal power struggle could strike the party ahead of the September regular session of the Assembly, sources said.

Lee has been critical of the party leadership under Shin and floor leader Chun, however, he had to maintain a low profile due to a lack of supporters within the party.

im@koreatimes.co.kr