The single candidate scenario designed to defeat Grand National Party candidate Lee Hoi-chang, involving the Millennium Democratic Party's Roh Mu-hyun and National Alliance 21 leader Chung Mong-joon, and cemented on November 25 through opinion poll surveys, ended dramatically just one hour and 30 minutes before the end of the official campaign. Chung stepping down and backing Roh as the single candidate boosted the latter's popularity from 20 percent to more than 40 percent.

However, Chung was know to have been unhappy with the result, as many of his followers asked how he could make such a move when the policy gap between the two was so wide. He finally decided to join Roh's campaign tour, possibly because of the MDP candidate's lead, but demanded the formation of a joint administration in the event they won. Some of Chung's aides demanded a memorandum with regard to this, as had Kim Jong-pil of Kim Dae-jung in 1997, but Roh refused and said only that the two parties would establish regular consultation meetings in the event of victory. This sparked the beginnings of distrust between the two camps.

On December 13, Chung and his staff started their first campaign tour with Roh in Daejon, but were coolly received by the MDP, raising animosity and anger. In announcing Chung's withdrawal of support, NA21 spokeswoman Kim Haeng said this was not an isolated incident and the party leader and members had been snubbed on more than one occasion. In an Internet newspaper interview on December 17, Roh said he had promised policy coordination with Chung, but nothing more than this, and had made no pledges that would tie him down after he was elected.

Finally on the eve of polling day as the two sat side-by-side at a rally in Myeongdong, Seoul, Roh said he would reform the chaebol and Chung (son of a conglomerate owner and major shareholder) would help him. He also said to people holding posters calling for Chung to be president after him that they were "speeding," as there were MDP members Chung Dong-young and Choo Mi-ae who could also be contenders. This last statement is widely seen as the fatal blow to the fragile alliance.

After the rally Chung went to a restaurant and made the decision to withdraw his support, saying he could not "deceive" the people anymore according to his aides, after receiving the latest poll figures.

Roh was surprised at the news and rushed to Chung's residence in Pyeongchangdong, Seoul to see him, but was refused entry, ending the 25-day single candidate drama. (Shin Jong-ryok, jrshin@chosun.com )