DP coalition partner insists on election nomination of disqualified human rights activist

A coalition partner of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) on Friday recommended a controversial human rights activist again as a candidate for next month's general elections, days after he was denied nomination for his refusal to fulfill the mandatory military service. Lim Tae-hoon, a former director of the Center for Military Human Rights Korea, a nongovernment group specializing in military issues, was excluded Wednesday from nomination of the satellite party that the DP created with coalition partners, including one consisting of civil society representatives. Lim's 2004 conviction for refusing military service as a conscientious objector was cited as a reason. Lim has since filed an objection against the decision, contending that the party equated conscientious objection with evading military service. On Friday, the civil society side announced its decision to recommend Lim again as a candidate. "We have confirmed that there is no other candidate to recommend than former director Lim. We could not find any reason to eliminate him as a 'candidate of the people,'" an official from the groups' nomination team said. "We strongly urge (the party) to respect the conclusion reached by the nomination committee and withdraw the decision to disqualify him," the official said. The satellite party confirmed it received the request. "For now, we will discuss how to respond to the re-recommendation request," Yun Yeong-deok, co-head of the satellite party, said. Observers say, however, the party is unlikely to accept the civic groups' call as Lim has been cut off in the nomination decision process, in which the DP has a major say. The DP's satellite party, formed with some minor parties and left-wing groups to win the proportional seats, is becoming increasingly mired in an internal row over proportional candidate nominations. Two of its candidates have withdrawn their bid for candidacy amid criticism over their affiliation with civic groups with pro-North Korean and anti-U.S. tendencies Source: Yonhap Ne ws Agency