Saenuri, minor conservative party merge ahead of presidential election

The ruling Saenuri Party and minor Advancement and Unification Party (AUP) agreed to merge Thursday, which could help pool conservative votes ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

In a news conference held at the National Assembly, AUP head Rhee In-je said the two parties will officially become a single political entity.

"The merger aims to stabilize and unify the country, and help Saenuri presidential candidate Park Geun-hye win this year's presidential race," Rhee said.

He stressed Park is the right person to accomplish national unity and reconciliation, and permit South Korea to lay the foundation for prosperity and eventual unification with North Korea.

The six-term lawmaker, who met privately with Park a day earlier, said the merger is a natural process that reflects the wishes of the people.

The merger will increase the number of Saenuri lawmakers to 153 from the present 149, giving it a majority in the 300-seat National Assembly. It may also exert a positive influence on Park's bid to become the country's first woman chief executive.

The AUP has played no significant political role in recent months, yet the party enjoys support in the Chungcheong region that has traditionally played a "casting vote role" in big elections.

Polls have shown that Park is locked in a very close race if she runs head-to-head with either main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP) candidate Moon Jae-in or independent contender Ahn Cheol-soo. In a three-way race, she has consistently polled ahead of her liberal rivals.

Officials from Saenuri and AUP, meanwhile, said they will hold respective party meetings to legally complete the merger arrangement as soon as possible. (Yonhap)