Lee Nak-yon, ex-DPK members launch New Future Party

Lee Nak-yon, right, and Rep. Kim Jong-min, co-leaders of the newly launched New Future Party, pose during the party's launch ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul, Sunday. Yonhap

Lee Nak-yon, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and a splinter group of former and current DPK lawmakers jointly established a new political entity known as the New Future Party, Sunday, ahead of the April 10 general elections.

Lee, also a former prime minister under the Moon Jae-in administration, quit the DPK last month and launched the Future Reform Party. Reps. Kim Jong-min, Cho Eung-cheon and Lee Won-wook also bolted from the DPK to form the Grand Future Coalition.

According to the party, Lee Nak-yon and Kim will co-chair the party.

“I will change politics first. I will implement competent and clean responsible politics. I will practice politics without privileges. I will realize a law-based system without sacredness. I will cleanse the old politics and open a new future with fresh politics. I will replace the DPK, which has fallen into the swamp of corruption and immorality,” Lee Nak-yon said.

Kim said, “I will definitely achieve a politics of national consensus that gathers the strength of the people, instead of divisive politics that splits the nation. I will revive livelihoods, preserve the future and uphold democracy. I will become a platform that embraces the diverse dreams and futures of citizens. We will stand tall as a leading party of the times."

However, Cho and Lee Won-wook decided not to join the new party, unhappy about the type of merger, with Lee Nak-yon party's absorbing their own party.

"We will not participate in the party merger today for the sake of broader unity," Rep. Lee and Rep. Cho said in a statement.

Symbolically, the party has chosen Prussian blue, which symbolizes unity and the vast sea, and light green, which represents the dynamism of life and nature, as its colors.

The party constitution, consisting of nine chapters and 92 articles, is grounded in the party laws. Key provisions include a group leadership structure, protection of minorities, strengthening the independence and judicial functions of the Central Party Ethics Tribunal and other measures to enhance democratic practices within the party.

In outlining its principles and policies, the New Future Party emphasized a continuation of Kim Dae-jung's inclusive and centrist reform spirit and Roh Moo-hyun's democratic political ideals. Specific policy objectives center on a middle-class political perspective, including the creation of a developed welfare state, and proactive responses to challenges such as the low birthrate and aging population.

With the establishment of party branches in North Gyeongsang Province, Busan, Gwangju, North Jeolla Province, Gyeonggi Province, North Chungcheong Province, Gangwon Province, Incheon and Seoul, the New Future Party aims to present a united front. The party founding ceremony, held at the National Assembly building, marked the beginning of their preparations for the upcoming general elections in April.

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the Reformist Party, Rep. Yang Hyang-ja, the floor leader of the Reformist Party and Keum Tae-sup, a former DPK lawmaker and co-head of a preparatory committee for the New Choice Party, attended the launch event along with 18 regional party chairpersons of New Future Party.