By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Lee Hoi-chang, who unsuccessfully ran for president twice on the ticket of the conservative Grand National Party (GNP) and once as an independent, and his supporters plan to launch a new conservative party on Feb. 1.
The decision to launch the tentatively named Liberty New Party was made at a meeting Thursday.
Lee, a former Supreme Court justice who finished third in last month's presidential election on, has criticized Lee Myung-bak, who won a landslide victory on the GNP ticket, for what he called his soft stance on North Korea.
His supporters include Sim Dae-pyung, chairman of the People First Party, independent legislator Koak Sung-moon and former Gov. Kim Hyuk-kyu of South Gyeongsang Province.
Conservatives expressed worry that the new party will split the conservative vote in the National Assembly elections slated for April 9 giving a windfall to the liberal United New Democratic Party (UNDP).
``Today, we carry the torch of new conservatism. The new party considers individual freedom, choice and creativity as driving forces for social and national development,'' Lee Hoi-chang said in a speech at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.
He stressed the party aims at making a dignified country by seeking fair competition without sticking to vested rights or personal and social relations.
At the meeting attended by about 300 supporters, promoters picked former lawmaker Kang Sam-jae as chairman of the preparatory committee to launch the new party.
They originally considered holding a vote to pick the committee chairman from among four or five outside figures but appointed Kang because they have only 20 days left until the launch of the party, according to party sources.
``I will make every effort to form a party to give the public hopes and dreams,'' Kang said in his acceptance speech. ``When we suggest new visions, we can be an alternative group to replace the GNP or the UNDP.''
He said that the party will select candidates to run in the Assembly elections once its organization is completed.