New political parties brace for upcoming elections

Cho Kuk holds up his fist at a launching ceremony for his party in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap

Newly launched parties are bracing for the April 10 general elections, trying to convince voters that they are legitimate alternatives to Korea’s two major parties, which are engaging in political strife while putting aside issues regarding people's livelihoods.

Cho Kuk, a former justice minister under the previous liberal Moon Jae-in administration, officially launched his own political party known as the National Innovation Party, Sunday, with himself elected unanimously as party leader.

“For the last five years, I have been going through hell. I could endure the personal shame, but I couldn’t stand the wrongdoings committed under President Yoon Suk Yeol. That’s why I decided to enter politics and create a new party," Cho said during a launching ceremony for his party in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

"Let's join forces to stop Yoon's prosecutor dictatorship regime."

Cho, a former law professor at Seoul National University, served as the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from 2017-19 during the Moon Jae-in presidency. He was appointed as justice minister in September 2019 before stepping down about a month later amid an academic fraud scandal.

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party / Yonhap

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the Reform Party, announced Saturday he will run for a National Assembly seat representing a constituency in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, which has traditionally supported liberal parties.

Lee, a former leader of the ruling conservative People Power Party, pledged to make Hwaseong a city that will produce future growth engines for the whole country.

"In the April 10 general elections, I will run for the constituency in Hwaseong that covers Dongtan 2 New Town," he said in a Facebook post. In February, he described Hwaseong as the youngest city that coincides with the New Reform Party, comprised of many young politicians.

Lee’s new party was formed in early February through a hasty merger with former members of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), led by its former chief Lee Nak-yon. But the so-called “big tent” party split just 11 days after the coalition as its two highest-profile challengers clashed over who should lead the election campaigns.

Lee Nak-yon of the Saemirae Party had planned to announce his bid to run in the April 10 general elections on Monday, but canceled his press conference abruptly, citing urgent matters. He is reportedly looking to form a coalition with Im Jong-seok, a former chief of staff of former President Moon, and Rep. Sul Hoon, who quit the DPK last week amid a factional rift over election nominations.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance, a satellite party to the DPK, aims to take as many proportional representation seats as possible and subsequently remerge with the main opposition after the election. Rep. Yoon Young-deok and Baek Seung-ah, a former teacher, will lead the party together.

Lee Nak-yon, leader of the Saemirae Party / Yonhap