People's Party anti-merger faction to form new party
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Members of the People’s Party who oppose the party’s merger with the Bareun Party hold hands after announcing their plan to create a new party, during a meeting at the National Assembly, Sunday. They are, from left, former lawmakers Chung Dae-chul, Kwon No-gap, and Reps. Cho Bae-sook, Park Jie-won and Chun Jung-bae. / Yonhap
By Choi Ha-young
A People’s Party faction on Sunday officially declared its plan to break away and launch a new party in protest against the People’s Party’s plan to merge with the Bareun Party.
Its declaration confirms the factional disputes between those supporting People’s Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo, who wants to decide officially on the merger with the conservative Bareun Party at a convention on Feb. 4, and more liberal members based in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces.
The envisioned new party, primarily formed with lawmakers from the Jeolla regions, is to be named the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP). It will be officially launched on Feb. 6, according to preparatory committee leader Rep. Cho Bae-sook.
As of Sunday, 16 lawmakers registered to defect to the new party, including Cho, Reps. Park Jie-won, Chun Jung-bae and Chung Dong-young. Along with the lawmakers, about 2,400 party members have signed in support of the new party.
“The envisioned party will focus on policies to improve people’s lives and oppose collusion with conservatives,” the PDP promoters said in a statement. “The party will devote itself to social justice and equality.”
They also said they would make efforts to make the Korean Peninsula peaceful and free from nuclear threats from North Korea, a goal set in respect for former President Kim Dae-jung’s Sunshine Policy.
Most of the lawmakers planning to join the new party are those who carry on Kim’s legacy. Kim, a former democracy activist, is a symbolic figure in the liberal Jeolla area.
The PDP promoters also touted a “powerful minor party,” the same slogan as the People’s Party, by breaking the dominance of two larger parties ― the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).
The PDP is likely to become the fourth-largest party, following the DPK, LKP and the merged party between the People’s Party and the Bareun Party. But it is unclear if the PDP can form a negotiating body, which requires at least 20 parliamentary seats.
Also, two of the 16 lawmakers were elected by proportional representation, so they will lose their seats if they leave their party voluntarily.
“We believe more lawmakers, particularly those based in the Jeolla regions, will join our move soon, because they can’t ignore Jeolla residents’ opinions,” Rep. Choi Gyung-hwan said.
The motion promptly drew fire from Ahn.
“The anti-merger faction is obviously undermining the People’s Party,” Ahn said, adding the move was a challenge to 280,000 party members.
“I urge them to leave the party right away, instead of interrupting the party convention,” Ahn said. “If they remain within the People’s Party and keep interrupting it, I’ll take special countermeasures."
Later in the day, Ahn convened a party committee on disciplinary actions against the rival faction members. The committee decided to suspend party membership of 179 people, including the 16 lawmakers, for two years. “They have been actively engaged in the move to create a new party, which has undermined the People’s Party,” Ahn said.
Rep. Lee Sang-don, chairman of the party convention and a vocal critic of Ahn, was included in the list, although he did not register to join the new party because he wanted to chair the convention. But with the membership suspension, he can’t do so.
The anti-merger faction claims the membership suspension is aimed at reducing the number of eligible voters of the convention who are against the merger, so the party leadership can get approval for the merger easily.