Choe also said that the party convention will be a chance for the party to not only select a new chairman, but also to be reborn as a new conservative party based on sound ideas and rationalism with new leaders selected through a reformed nomination process.

He said, "Preparations to call a party convention will start right away, but I think the convention must become an opportunity to make a 'New Grand National Party' in which the nominators decide all and participate together." He said he thought the party convention should come after the party's public nomination process has been completed.

Grand National Party (GNP) head Choe Byung-yul holds a press conference at party headquarters in Yeouido on Sunday.

Choe said his announcement was not linked to the recent troubles within the party, but a decision reached after much though on what role a responsible conservative party should play in this age as public faith and support of the GNP drop to unprecedentedly low levels.

Choe spent four days after leaving Seoul last Thursday taking advice and opinions from GNP lawmakers and outside consultants.

Chief Secretary Lim Tae-hee elaborated that “the party convention will take place from March 15 to 20.”

About Choe’s stated position, younger lawmakers in the party including Nam Kyung-pil, Won Hee-ryong, Choung Byoung-gug, Kwon Young-se and others made a statement that “we welcome Choe’s sacrifice and courageous decision” but also added that “we will not just sit back and watch if there are any distortions in or retreats from the process of electing a new chairman in the future.”

(Park Du-shik, dspark@chosun.com )