A party committee "decided to reinstate former party members who defected after failing to win nominations for the parliamentary elections, whether they were elected to the 18th National Assembly or not, with immediate effect" GNP Secretary-General Kwon Young-se said Tuesday.

As a result, a total of 11 lawmakers including pro-Park Coalition members such as Park Jong-keun, pro-Park independent lawmakers such as Kim Moo-sung, Lee Hae-bong and Han Sun-kyo, and independent lawmaker Kang Ghil-boo will be reinstated. The ruling party, which currently controls a slim majority of 153 seats in the 299-member unicameral legislature, will then hold at least 164 seats if the defectors accept.

The Park loyalists said they will announce their position once the GNP reaches a final decision since it has not yet finished its screening process.

(englishnews@chosun.com )