One more lawmaker decides to stay in Bareun Party
More may follow suit amid voter backlash
By Choi Ha-young
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Jeong Woon-chun
Rep. Jeong Woon-chun of the Bareun Party said Thursday he would not quit the minor conservative party.
Jeong earlier said he would join 13 fellow lawmakers who had quit the party, Tuesday, to attempt to rejoin the larger conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and support its presidential candidate Hong Joon-pyo.
However, as public criticism mounted over their “unscrupulous” behavior, Hwang Young-cheul, one of the 13 lawmakers, retracted his decision the next day and vowed to stay in the Bareun Party to help its candidate Yoo Seong-min win the May 9 election.
And on Thursday, Jeong showed up to apologize.
“Last winter, we worked together to impeach then-President Park Geun-hye out of respect for the Constitution, and we did it,” Jeong told reporters. “In line with citizens who voted for me, I will protect the Bareun Party and its reasonable conservative values.”
The remaining 12 lawmakers applied to rejoin the LKP immediately after leaving the Bareun Party. However, it remains to be seen whether the LKP will accept them because pro-Park lawmakers, who are still influencing the former ruling party, are against their return.
The Bareun Party, a breakaway group of the LKP, was formed in January at the height of the political scandal involving then-President Park.
Following the two lawmakers’ change of heart, the Bareun Party has maintained its status as a parliamentary negoting bloc with 20 seats, which enables it to receive a bigger government subsidy.
Public anger is growing against the 12 lawmakers who left the party, who are being described as “betrayers.”
Additionally, Yoo has enjoyed sudden popularity as well as donations from those who sympathize with his undaunted stance.
Reps. Chang Je-won, Kim Sung-tae and Kwon Seong-dong gained public attention through the National Assembly investigation into the scandal involving the ex-president and her confidant Choi Soon-sil. Particularly, Kwon led the Assembly’s indictment committee to remove Park from the top post. In the face of an avalanche of criticism, Chang shut down his social media accounts.
They had repeatedly asserted the minor conservative party’s identity as a reformist force formed through their consensus over the ouster of a corrupt leader. Once they quit the then Saenuri Party, the predecessor to the LKP, they bid farewell to the pro-Park faction there.
Some pro-Park politicians are strongly resisting the 12 lawmakers’ moves to rejoin the party, which may trigger their return to the Bareun Party.
If the backlash continues after the May 9 presidential election, the lawmakers may remain as independent politicians. Since they submitted applications to the LKP, some far-right citizens in favor of the imprisoned president are protesting, calling for the party not to embrace those who betrayed Park.