Calls grow for shift from two-party political system
Lee Nak-yon, former prime minister and ex-chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during an event at Sahmyook University in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Calls are growing for a shift from a binary party system in Korea as a large portion of voters say they feel frustrated and alienated by both major political parties.
No group with considerable support has yet to emerge. But signs are palpable that one may be in the making. Heavyweight figures have hinted at launching new parties ― possibly a united one to challenge both the ruling and main opposition parties.
Speaking to reporters at a book-promotion event for his former secretary in Seoul, Saturday, ex-Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said it is now imperative to offer an alternative for voters who feel there is “no right answer” on the ballot.
“What’s certain is that I became sure that (providing) an alternative is now inevitable for the survival of the Republic of Korea, and the preparation for that (vision) has just begun,” said Lee, who served as the chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) between August 2020 and March 2021 before his presidential campaign.
The next day, Lee told the Segye Ilbo, a vernacular daily, that he is open to the possibility of working with Lee Jun-seok, 38, who has been preparing to create a new conservative party that can better cater to the needs of young people. The former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) previously said he was willing to talk with Lee, calling him a “moderate” DPK politician he regards positively.
Meanwhile, Keum Tae-sup, a former DPK lawmaker and co-head of a preparatory committee for New Choice Party, said his party would join forces with some members of the minor liberal Justice Party to “go beyond” the current two-party system, saying they would seek to expand the coalition with other “reasonably minded” people.
Lee Jun-seok, former chief of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during an event at EXCO in Daegu, Nov. 26. Yonhap
Among all these movements that are being talked about or taking shape, the one led by the former prime minister has the greatest potential of turning into a powerful force that could shift the landscape of the April 10 elections, said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University.
“If history is any guide, a new party should meet at least two of the three conditions in order to succeed. It should have a regional base of support, a potential presidential candidate and a political fandom (or loyal supporters). Given this, the party under Lee, former governor of South Jeolla Province, is the only one with a serious chance,” Shin told The Korea Times.
Few things in Korean politics are more quixotic than running a third-party campaign. But not all such attempts ended in failure. The most recent success came in 2016, when the People Party, led by new political star Ahn Cheol-soo, won 38 seats in the general elections, mostly in the North and South Jeolla provinces, the DPK’s traditional stronghold.
If there is one thing in common among those leading the third party movement, it is that they are all trying to appeal to liberal voters in the Jeolla provinces, just as they did in 2016, according to Shin.
“The approval ratings for the DPK in the latest Gallup poll was 51 percent,” he said. “This is lower than the usual 60 percent, and politicians appear to have viewed it as an opportunity for them.”
In the survey released on Friday by the pollster, the approval rating for the PPP was 35 percent, and the DPK was supported by 33 percent. The rate of those supporting neither party was 27 percent.
But in the survey, the PPP performed better in its traditional stronghold than its counterpart. Its approval rating in the Daegu-North Gyeongsang Province region, its longtime stronghold, was 66 percent, compared to 51 percent supporting the DPK in the Gwangju-Jeolla region.