Yoo Seong-min elected as Bareun Party chairman
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Rep. Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party waves the party flag after being elected as its new chairman at a party convention in the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap
By Choi Ha-young
Rep. Yoo Seong-min was elected as the new leader of the fourth largest Bareun Party in a party convention, Monday.
Yoo was the presidential candidate of the minor conservative party, founded in January by 33 lawmakers who bolted from the bigger conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) following the impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye.
The number of Bareun Party lawmakers is now only 11, including Yoo, as the other lawmakers have rejoined the LKP.
In an acceptance speech, Yoo vowed to take the path of a “reformist conservative,” saying the ongoing crisis faced by the Bareun Party will make the party stronger.
“We are moving into the valley of the shadow of death,” Yoo said citing a biblical passage as recited in the American movie “We Were Soldiers.”
“Let’s go together. Let’s keep the faith we had in January, when we promised the people we would build a new conservative party.”
Yoo won the leadership race overwhelmingly, garnering 56.6 percent of support, followed by Rep. Ha Tae-keung with 24.5 percent, Rep. Jeong Woon-chun with 10.3 percent and Rep. Park In-sook with 4.7 percent. The three lawmakers lost the race, but will become members of the party’s decision-making Supreme Council.
The party convention came after its former leader Rep. Lee Hye-hoon resigned from the post in September due to her involvement in a graft scandal.
The LKP has courted Bareun Party lawmakers by expelling ex-President Park Geun-hye, the origin of the party split. But Yoo dismissed the call to hold a joint convention with the LKP which triggered the nine Bareun lawmakers to defect to the LKP. The Bareun Party was formed when members left the Saenuri Party, which later became the LKP.
Analysts have commonly urged the Bareun Party to generate its own policy ideas in line with its core values ― warm and clean conservatism with a competitive edge and a focus on national security and social welfare. So far, the Bareun Party has failed to prove its reason for being, showing an approval rating under 5 percent.
Yoo vowed to articulate the party’s policy goals. “The most pressing task to resolve is economic polarization,” he said. “The party will proactively tackle labor, education, housing and medical service issues with a clear goal to establish warm conservatism.”
Yoo also touched on pressing issues. “The party will also stipulate our stance on the constitutional amendment, revision of electoral laws, political neutrality of government authorities, eradication of corruption and governance of public broadcasters.”
His victory may pave the way for joint moves between the Bareun Party and the People’s Party. Following the election outcome, the People’s Party promptly issued a congratulatory message: “We are looking forward to larger common ground between the two parties.”
On the same day, the LKP again fell into a factional dispute between Chairman Hong Joon-pyo and remaining pro-Park lawmakers. The 15 politicians who are still loyal to the ex-president called for a general meeting Monday, taking issue with the party’s decision-making process when embracing Bareun Party defectors, Thursday.
In an opening statement, Hong issued a message of the party’s integration to counter the liberal Moon Jae-in administration. “Let’s forget the past and overcome the emotional baggage,” he said in an opening speech.