15 lawmakers break away from People's Party

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Sun, October 1, 2023 | 17:32

Politics

15 lawmakers break away from People's Party

Posted : 2018-02-05 14:43

Updated : 2018-02-05 18:43

Rep. Cho Bae-sook, head of the preparatory committee for the Party for Democracy and Peace, explains the party's policy goals during their press conference, Monday. / Yonhap

By Choi Ha-young

Fifteen lawmakers opposing a planned merger with the minor conservative Bareun Party quit the People's Party, Monday, to launch a new political party named the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP), Tuesday.

The party's three anti-merger lawmakers elected by proportional representation failed to leave the party since they would lose their seats if they leave the party without the approval of Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo. The three lawmakers said they will go along with the PDP's stance in the parliament.

"The 15 lawmakers will complete the process today, and about 50 local council members, county governors and mayors mainly based in the Jeolla area will also leave the party today," PDP spokesman Rep. Choi Gyung-hwan told reporters, Monday.

The PDP will be officially launched Tuesday.

"The PDP's preamble will stipulate equality between regions, generations and genders," Rep. Yoon Young-il said. "Out of respect for former President Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy, the party will promote a peaceful system on the peninsula."

Kim, a former democracy activist, is a symbolic figure in the liberal Jeolla area. With liberal and reformative policies, the PDP is aiming to have a decisive influence in politics, particularly as it pertains to the larger liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), they said.

"Even though we fail to form a negotiation body, the ruling DPK won't be able to ignore our votes. Case by case, we will sometimes back the DPK and sometimes veto the ruling party's policies," said Rep. Lee Yong-ju.

Following their exodus, only 24 lawmakers are left in the People's Party in the 296-member National Assembly. Even if it merges with the nine-seat Bareun Party, the number of the merged party's seats will be 33.

All of the Bareun lawmakers decided on the merger with the People's Party at its national convention, Tuesday. The merged party, which will officially be launched on Feb. 13, is tentatively named the Mirae Party. The term "mirae" refers to "future" in Korean.

"Today, the Bareun Party begins a new challenge in cooperation with the People's Party, to reform outdated politics," Bareun Party Chairman Yoo Seong-min said. "Our politics aim at establishing a warm and just society, firmly securing national security and creating jobs based on the market economy."

The launch of the two minor parties is likely to bring a new political alliance. The voice of the conservative opposition bloc is likely to grow, since the Mirae Party is categorized as a center-right party.

Meanwhile, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea would be required to strengthen its ties with the PDP and the progressive Justice Party to push for its reformist policies.

A dim future is ahead for the two minor parties, though. The influence of the merged party may shrink, since two more lawmakers ― Reps. Lee Yong-ho and Son Kum-ju ― may leave the People's Party. The PDP has failed to form a negotiation body that requires at least 20 lawmakers, which means it can't assume decision-making roles in the Assembly.

hayoung.choi@ktimes.com