Progressive camp in decline

Unified Progressive Party Chairwoman Lee Jung-hee, second from left in the front, and other party members enter the Constitutional Court in Jae-dong, central Seoul, Friday. The court ruled the leftist party to be dismantled for its pursuing pro-North Korean activities in violation of the Constitution. / Yonhap

Parties say they respect top court’s decision on leftist party

By Kang Hyun-kyung

The liberal camp will inevitably decline following the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the dismissal of a minor leftist party Friday for its alleged attempt to overthrow free democracy, according to experts.

They said the court order would have a significant impact on the political arena, the conservative and liberal camps and perhaps on President Park Geun-hye’s leadership as well.

Cho Jin-man, a political science professor of Duksung Women’s University in Seoul, said President Park had nothing to lose in the face of the court ruling that the Unified Progressive Party posed a grave threat to free democracy in Korea, and should be dissolved.

But he noted that it would be premature to say the “unpopular” president would benefit from the ruling.

“The ruling was made by the Constitutional Court, which is independent and not under the influence of the president,” he said. “So I think there should be no direct relationship between the court’s decision and President Park’s approval rating.”

In the latest Gallup poll, Park’s ratings hit a record low of 37 percent. The survey of 1,006 people was the first time Park’s rating was under 40 percent since she became president in February 2013.

The poll has a 3.1 percentage point margin of error.

Pollsters said that among other reasons, some of Park’s core conservative supporters had become further disillusioned after the leak scandal that disclosed a power struggle in the presidential office.

This fueled speculation that the court ruling could give Park an opportunity to turn the tide.

Yoon Jong-bin, a professor of Myongji University in Seoul, noted that the dismissal of a political party by a court was very rare and therefore could put a lot of pressure on the ruling camp, including Park, because it could be seen as repression.

“But such worries were cleared because the progressive party has gone too far when it comes to its sympathizing with North Korea,” he said.

“Even in the liberal camp, I believe opinions will be divided regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the progressive party. Moderate liberals will side with the court regarding the ruling as they knew that the progressive party has not been [moving] in the right direction.”

The political scientist predicted the liberal camp would wane because of the court ruling.

“Before the court order, the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) was roaring following a series of blunders by the presidential office, and the opposition fired a salvo at President Park as well as the ruling Saenuri Party for causing those troubles,” he said.

“From now on, I believe the NPAD will find it difficult to continue to attack the ruling camp because the image of the party leadership was tarnished as it previously sided with the progressive party that was ordered to break up.”

On Friday, the ruling Saenuri Party welcomed the court decision. Chairman Kim Moo-sung noted that democracy operated on the basis of the rule of law and the top court’s ruling could send a clear message that those who try to overthrow free democracy would face the same consequences as the Unified Progressive Party.

The main opposition NPAD toned down its response, saying the party respected the court decision.

But NPAD spokesman Rep. Park Soo-hyun said the court ruling hurt the freedom of political parties which was a key principle of free democracy.

The main opposition party tried to distance itself from the troubled Unified Progressive Party, saying the NPAD had no intention to side with the leftist party.