Independent lawmaker Chun Jung-bae to set up party
Independent lawmaker Chun Jung-bae proposes founding a new political party in a press conference held at the National Assembly, Seoul, Sunday. / Yonhap
Independent lawmaker Chun Jung-bae plans to set up another political party, he announced on Sunday.
The move poses a grave challenge to the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), which largely shares the same support base.
“I propose founding a reformist party of the people, which will reconfigure Korean politics,” said Chun, according to reports.
He said the new party would be ready by January 2016.
Chun, who quit the NPAD member this year, ran as an independent at the April 29 by-elections, winning the Seogu district in Gwangju.
Chun's landslide victory was widely viewed as evidence of the region's discontent with the NPAD’s power structure.
This is one reason that Chun’s plan for new party carries more weight than any current plans in the opposition sector.
On Sunday, Chun said there was no future for the NPAD, and that he was open to talk with incumbent political leaders irrespective of their party affiliations who shared reformist values.
Political parties have a tendency to suffer rifts ahead of major elections such as the general elections scheduled for April 2016, and the presidential election in December 2017.
The tendency is more apparent in the opposition camp for now. Former South Jeolla Province Governor Park Joon-young and another former NPAD member have also proposed a new political party.