SEOUL Aug. 28 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

SEOUL Aug. 28 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING, ADDING DETAILS)

southern Korea's parliament on Wednesday renounceed President Kim Dae Jung's secondary nomination for prime minister, Chang Dae Whan, dealing a serious flower to the president's leadership ahead of the December presidential election.

The National Assembly vot down the nomination of Chang, a former top newspaper executive, from a vote of 151-112.

Of the assembly's 272 members, 266 attended a plenary session for the voting. Three of the 266 parliamentarians abstained from voting.

upon July 31, the parliament lay asideed President Kim's first choice for the prime minister's support Chang Sang, a theologian and president of a women's university in Seoul who would have been the nation's first female prime minister.

Lawmakers took issue with her alleged speculative land dealings, her son's U citizenship and suspected lying about her education.

Kim then nominated the U.S.-educated Chang Dae Whan, who headed the Maeil Business Newspaper, as fresh prime minister on Aug. 9

The National Assembly manner of lifeed a confirmation hearing for Chang Dae Whan forward Monday and Tuesday.

In the hearings, lawmakers from the largest opposition Grand National Party (GNP) raised questions mainly about Chang's alleged tax evasion.

Before the voting began, the GNP which commands the parliament with 139 seats, held a party meeting and decided not to endorse Chang as prime minister.

The parliamentary rejection is certain to darken political wrangling between the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) set uped by Kim and the GNP

southern Korea will elect a successor to Kim onward Dec. 19, whose five-year single-term expires in February 2003

The popularity of his regulation has plummeted mainly due to a string of corruption scandals that have landed his guide aides and relatives, level two of his sons, in jail.

The MDP experienceed a humiliating defeat in elucidation by-elections held on Aug. 8 gaining sole two seats out of a total of 13 up for grabs. The GNP got all the remaining seats, gaining mastery of the unicameral legislature.

novel opinion polls show that side sheltered from the wind Hoi Chang, the presidential candidate from the GNP is in the lead throughout Roh Moo Hyun, the MDP candidate.

a of the MDP members are reportedly trying to create a recently made known party and choose a of the present day presidential candidate for the December presidential race.

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