Coalition of minor parties struggles to stay united

Reform Party co-Chairmen Lee Nak-yon, left, and Lee Jun-seok check documents during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis

The Reform Party, a big-tent political party comprised of politicians who left their former parties, is showing signs of fractures as questions over its political brand and sustainability are emerging ahead of the general elections in April, while key party figures have intensified their struggle to take control of the party.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Rep. Kim Jong-min, one of the five lawmakers of the party, all originally from the main liberal opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), said there has been discord within his party.

In remarks apparently aimed at Lee Jun-seok, 37-year-old co-head of the Reform Party and self-proclaimed voice of young conservatives, Kim said one person can't be better than the whole, "no matter how skilled the person may be," suggesting Lee is not respecting the spirit of democracy and unity.

Kim spoke to reporters amid reports that Lee Nak-yon, 71, the other co-head of the party and former leader of the DPK, rejected the younger Lee's proposals, including the younger Lee exercising "full authority" over the party's PR strategy ahead of the elections on April 10.

"Demanding that right is like demanding full authority over our party's election campaign," Kim said. "Following the party's consensus decision to appoint Lee Nak-yon as our campaign chairman on Feb. 9, [Lee Nak-yon] should be in charge."

Kim added that Lee Nak-yon may embrace the younger's Lee's proposals. However, such a move should first be reviewed and decided on by the party's supreme council.

Rep. Kim Jong-min of the Reform Party speaks during a press conference at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, Sunday. Newsis

His remarks reflect the remaining — perhaps intensifying — factional struggle within the new party — an awkward mix of conservative supporters of the younger Lee and liberal politicians, including some hardliners. Judging from thousands of comments posted on the party's website, many supporters still refuse to accept the coalition and demand the younger Lee break out of it.

Among the contentious issues is whether to accept Ryu Ho-jeong, a former lawmaker, and Bae Bok-joo — former members of the more left-leaning Justice Party — into the party despite their progressive views on issues such as sexual minority rights, feminism and illegal protests by disability rights groups.

Amid criticism of his decision to embrace liberal hardliners, the younger Lee said such people would "never be the mainstream at the party." But discontent and discord show no signs of abating as he struggles to convince his supporters that the party will continue to stand for them.

According to Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University, the party could still be sustainable, but only until the elections.

"Political desperation was what united them in the first place. So its leaders are expected to try their best to stay united — or at least, to appear so — during the campaign period," Shin told The Korea Times. "But given their fundamental differences on so many issues, they will likely go their separate ways once the elections are over, regardless of the results."

According to a survey of 1,007 people released the same day by KSOI, a pollster, 6.6 percent of respondents said they would support the Reform Party, while 44.3 percent said they would support the ruling People Power Party and 37.2 percent the DPK.