Lee Wins the NOD
Lee calls for party unity and cooperation and pledges '7-4-7'economic policies

Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak finally got his wish and clinched the nod from the opposition Grand National Party(GNP) to be its standard bearer in the upcoming Dec. 19 presidential election. Only 1.5 percent separated the winner from the loser his closest rival Rep. Park Geun-hye, former GNP chairperson, contrary to expectations that he will soundly beat her in the election held across the country July 19.
"I am so deeply humbled by the outcome of the GNP primary election and call for unity and cooperation in all ranks of the party to wrestle power back from the liberal circles led by President Roh Moo-hyun in the presidential election on Dec. 19,"the jubilant former Seoul mayor said with a big smile in his acceptance speech, amid thunderous applauses and shouts for victory from his supporters and party members at the GNP convention announcing the primary election results July 20 held at the Seoul Olympics Sports Gym in Seoul.
The former GNP chairwoman, 56, is the eldest daughter of late President Park Chung-hee,who is remembered for his iron-fisted rule, but credited with laying the foundation for Korea's economic miracle during his long-reign.
The former Seoul mayor, 65, who also is a two-term legislator, captured 49.56 percent of votes cast by GNP delegates and popularity polls conducted across the country to his closest rival Rep Park's 48.06 percent. What finally got Lee the clincher was in the popularity polls in which the victor captured 51.55 percent versus Park's 42.73 percent. He trailed Park in the party delegate votes by 432 votes.
With the grueling primary campaign that last for about a year and half, the major opposition has quickly moved into the next stage in its strategies to take power back from the current ruling circles led by President Roh Moo-hyun, often criticized for being too liberal in policies toward North Korea.
Winner Lee quickly extended his hands of reconciliation to his three former rivals in the tough and often biting primary campaign held across the country with the four GNP
presidential candidates expressed their political views tinged with acid remarks against rival candidates. Some times, the traveling debates among candidates appeared to have gotten out of hands with insinuations of candidates past implications in possible criminal deals.
The GNP presidential candidate warmly shook hands with three rivals he defeated asking for their support in the campaign that lay ahead to take power back from the ruling liberals. He said he will accept all the criticisms hurled against him and he will carry them with him to fight for the nation's top office and take back in the hands of his party, GNP.
The official GNP presidential candidate shook hands with his closest rival the former GNP chairwoman hard and asked for her to play a vital role during his campaign, adding that he trusts that she will agree with his request for her support. During his acceptance speech, the party nominee said he will carry on with his rival Park's pledge that Korea should be turned into a advanced country in the next five years of the new president's term.
He said every one of you here including those who worked for other candidates should pool their strength together because "I love all of you,"he said, especially, toward the part of the hall where Park's supporters took seats. "We will take power back in December if you held us once."Park's supporters also pledged their support to Lee's run for the top office in the country. But political pundits sees less than a full support coming from the Park's side. They argued that the popularity polls that gave Lee the victory could have been rigged and therefore, the election is invalid only to calm down when Park conceded the outcome and defeat and promised to work for Lee's campaign as a general party member of the GNP.
Pundits noted that Park's promise to give support to Lee's campaign just as a plain party member means that she would not give very much support to Lee because her announcement came while some key leaders of the Lee campaign machine called for making Park the head of the campaign.
Park always called for clean morality and if Lee's alleged wrongdoings were proven with unshakable evidence during the campaign, she might withdraw her support from Lee.
But Lee expressed confidence that nothing will go wrong as he came through a tough examination of his past deeds during the tough primary campaign, perhaps, the toughest in the political history.
He during the primary campaign held up "7-4-7"as his major pledge, meaning that he will boost the annual GDP growth to the 7 percent range, hike per capita GDP to $40,000 so that Korea would the 7th largest economy in the world during his tenure. He also pledged that mending Korea's traditional relationship with the United States, its major ally, to a normal level is a big priority during his regime He often criticized that President Roh somewhat made the tie estranged in some areas such as the decision to retain the war-time military command in the hands of the Korean government, not let it taken over by the joint Korea-U.S, command and in policies toward North Korea. President Roh often appeared to irk the U.S. by trying to go too fast with his policies aimed at reconciling with the northern half of the peninsula, not in steps with the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, despite North Korea tested its nuke bomb last year.
On President Roh's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il Oct. 2-4, he said he doesn't yet understand why the North decided to change the date, adding that they should discuss such critical issues as North Korea's nuke, South Korean soldiers taken prisoners during the Korean War, the separated families and South Koreans kidnapped by North Korea-those that are in the minds of South Korean people. The meeting will be irrational if issues other than those people care for emerge for discussions.
Candidate Lee said in unequivocal terms that Korea's tie with the United States will be made strong enough so that the two allies will play a key role for peace in Northeast Asia and growth in economic cooperation. He thinks that the strong tie with the U.S. should continue to be maintained even after Korea's reunification with the North. Korea's exchange with the North should be mutual give-and-take in all aspects until the North forsakes its nuke programs and weapons. But along with the international community, the South should help the North to upgrade its economy like China has done with its economy. nw

Victorious lee Myung-bak who got the nod to become the GNP's candidate in the presidential election on Dec. 19.
Winner Lee Myung-bak shakes hands with his main rival ex-party chairperson Park Geun-hye who conceded her defeat in the primary election.

Jubilant Lee Myung-bak is lined up with his former rivals, ex-party chairperson Park Geun-hye, Hong Jun-pyo, Won Hee-ryoung before his winning the primary was announced July 20.

Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak speaks to reporters his thoughts about winning the primary election to be the Grand National Party's standard bearer in the presidential election.