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| Rep. Lee Un-ju of the Bareunmirae Party / Korea Times file |
Rep. Lee Un-ju of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party (BMP) is considering leaving the party after clashing with its leader.
Lee, a former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmaker who recently emerged as an icon for far-right conservatives because of her remarks praising former President Park Chung-hee, is stepping up criticism against BMP chief Sohn Hak-kyu.
This comes after Sohn criticized Lee for her recent move to coordinate with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) by participating in one of its gatherings.
Lee gave a lecture about her ideas of unifying conservatives to young members of the main opposition party last week. At the venue, Lee reportedly hinted at the possibility of her defection saying "if the party comes up with new momentum, I might join it."
Sohn openly warned her saying this might tarnish the reputation of the BMP.
BMP lawmakers also criticized her. Rep. Lee Sang-don said, "Lee should make up her mind now. It is not good for her to have people talking about her political position."
Despite Sohn's warning, Lee maintained that her intention was to form a conservative alliance to stand against President Moon Jae-in.
The opposition parties haven't found a breakthrough to recover from their large defeat in the June local elections, continuing to lose support from conservatives. Senior LKP members gathered to push for a conservative alliance with the BMP. The BMP's Sohn, meanwhile, made it clear the party will not join hands with the LKP.
Critics say it is highly likely Lee will join the LKP in the future.
Political veteran Rep. Park Jie-won of the minor Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) stated his belief that Lee would join the LKP during a radio interview.
Also, based on Lee's political history, critics say she may change parties if the LKP stabilizes. Lee is one of many who often changes political parties. She started as a member of the Democratic United Party in 2012, where she became a lawmaker. Later, when Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party became a presidential candidate, Lee moved to the People's Party to support him. She remained in the current BMP after the People's Party merged with the Bareun Party.
Critics also point out her intention to form a conservative alliance might resonate with some LKP members.
Recently, she has been actively presenting herself to the public as a far-right figure. She is making appearances in broadcasts by far-right YouTube channels.
Some say her motivation is to seize power as a lawmaker in one of the LKP's precincts in the 2020 general elections.
When asked about Lee's possible nomination as a candidate for her home precinct, the current holder of the position, Rep. Kim Moo-sung of the LKP, said "I am open to help those who visit me and ask for advice."
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