By Chung Min-uck
Two opposition parties agreed Tuesday to form an alliance ahead of the April 11 National Assembly elections.
Han Myeong-sook, chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic United Party (DUP), and Lee Jung-hee, chairwoman of the minor opposition Unified Progressive Party (UPP), adopted a joint statement, fixing a Thursday deadline for selecting “unified candidates” for the upcoming elections.
Discussions between the two had been at a standstill since last month.
“An opposition alliance is essential to winning the National Assembly and presidential elections. It is also a stepping stone in forming a democratic and liberal government,” said Han. “We will come up with a coalition no matter what.”
The presidential election is scheduled for Dec. 19.
“We need to form a nationwide and comprehensive alliance,”said Lee.
Observers say if the alliance materializes, the liberal bloc will gain the upper hand over the ruling Saenuri Party in the upcoming poll.
Talks on launching a liberal coalition gained momentum after Park Won-soon, an opposition-backed civic activist, beat a high-profile ruling party candidate in Seoul’s mayoral vote last October.
However, discussions came to a halt as two major parties in the liberal bloc _ the Democratic Party (later the DUP) and Democratic Labor Party (later the UPP) _ disagreed over policy directions. The UPP is a union of three far-left parties launched last December after refusing to merge with the DUP.
The two sides also locked horns over selecting candidates. The UPP earlier requested to field united candidates in 20 electoral districts or more which the DUP rejected.
The minor liberal party has 7 seats in the 299-member unicameral parliament.
Analysts say the opposition coalition is likely to succeed in forming a united front in the lead up to the elections as a division means a vote split.
“The chairwomen of both parties have vowed to win in the parliamentary elections by selecting unified candidates,” said DUP spokesman Shin Kyung-min. “The two chairwomen will make decisions together and take responsibility for the results as well.”
Shin added that the two parties are looking forward to embracing other minor liberal parties and civic groups after their successful alliance.
A recent survey showed the DUP lagging behind the Saenuri Party in terms of popularity as respondents were less confident in the DUP’s reform measures and policies.
Meanwhile, the DUP announced Tuesday its fifth list of candidates who passed its screening process. Thirteen candidates including the DUP’s floor leader Kim Jin-pyo were selected to run on the party’s ticket.