Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
BMP lawmakers likely to defect to LKP
Sohn Hak-kyu, the leader of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, participates in a party meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
The leadership of the Bareunmirae Party (BMP), Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu, is being challenged by an anticipated defection of his party members to the largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).
Rep. Lee Hak-jae of the BMP said he will announce his departure to join the LKP on Tuesday. Lee left the Saenuri Party, the predecessor of the LKP, in 2016.
“I have put my efforts into the Bareun Party and Bareunmirae Party outside the LKP for two years when the conservatives were struggling with the Choi Soon-sil scandal. But they failed to get support from the people and become united,” Lee was quoted as telling Yonhap Sunday.
The move came after the LKP's interim leadership removed 21 incumbent lawmakers, including some loyalists of former President Park Geun-hye, from key party posts with the influence on nomination for local councils as part of reform measures.
Lee, who has belonged to several conservative parties such as the Bareun Party, the predecessor to the Bareunmirae Party following its merger with the People's Party, has been allegedly looking for the opportunity to defect to another conservative party.
Since the LKP has been working to unify conservatives, expectations are high many lawmakers of the Bareunmirae Party will join the LKP.
Critics say there is a possibility of other BMP members following Lee's defection.
Sohn, however, criticized Lee for taking away the chair of the Assembly's intelligence committee. He earlier warned the LKP's interim leader Kim Byoung-joon not to take away the BMP's lawmakers.
Since Park Geun-hye abused her power as president with her confidant Choi Soon-sil, the former ruling conservative Saenuri Party was criticized for its role in the scandal. Such criticism urged many to withdraw their support for the conservative party, yielding ruling party status to the Democratic Party of Korea.
Regardless of the looming cloud over the BMP, the LKP is openly welcoming the possible defections.
Lee Jin-gon, a member of the LKP's reform committee who joined the recent eviction, said Monday “if the LKP decides to recruit BMP members, they can get better chances in the party.”