The Conservative Unity Tent Is Set Up... But a Long Road Ahead to Integration

Continued Aftershocks Surrounding the 'Three Principles of Conservative Reconstruction'... Saebosu Party's Joining May Be Delayed
Challenges in Forming the Public Interest Committee and Unified Party Leadership... Possible Blockage Starting from Nomination Committee Formation
Loose Nature of the Agreement Body Also Causes Conflict Risks

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Ahead of this year's general election, a conservative unification tent involving conservative parties and civic groups has been set up. This came with the formation of the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee (Hyuktongwi), chaired by Professor Park Hyung-jun of Dong-A University. Although the foundation for conservative unification has been laid, there is still a long way to go. There are many hurdles to overcome, from whether the New Conservative Party will participate to the form the new party will take.

First, conflicts between the Liberty Korea Party and the New Conservative Party over the 'Three Principles of Conservative Reconstruction' remain. Although the Hyuktongwi resolution includes all of the New Conservative Party's unification principles?▲Crossing the river of impeachment ▲Moving forward as reform conservatives ▲Building a new house?Ha Tae-kyung, the responsible representative, is demanding a public promise from Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party. This is interpreted as a request to uphold principles even if internal noise arises within the Liberty Korea Party during the unification process.

However, Leader Hwang is avoiding a direct answer, saying, "I have already stated this several times." He reasons that the resolution already contains all the 'Three Principles of Conservative Reconstruction' and that the Liberty Korea Party has expressed its welcome. Chairman Park expressed a positive stance, saying, "I will request Leader Hwang to publicly declare the agreed matters," but if the tension prolongs, the New Conservative Party's joining of Hyuktongwi could be delayed.

This is also connected to the timing when Hyuktongwi's unification work will officially begin. Chairman Park believes that once the Liberty Korea Party and the New Conservative Party agree on the formation of Hyuktongwi and dispatch their lawmakers, full-scale unification discussions will be possible. If the joining is delayed, Hyuktongwi may be formed first and continue discussions while leaving the New Conservative Party's seat vacant. However, in this case, only the Liberty Korea Party among the parliamentary parties would participate, which has been criticized as contradicting the purpose of centrist and conservative unification.

Even if the New Conservative Party joins, tensions over the composition of Hyuktongwi may continue. How Hyuktongwi is composed could affect nomination rights and the power structure of the future unified party. For now, a plan is being discussed to classify members into political parties, civic groups, and external figures, increasing the proportion of non-party external members, with each party sending one political member. However, the New Conservative Party insists that the composition of Hyuktongwi should be discussed later.

The most sensitive issues are the composition of the nomination screening committee, the timing of the formation of the unified party, and the method of selecting its leadership. Other parties and groups, excluding the Liberty Korea Party, are likely to advocate for a collective leadership system with equal representation. However, there is a sense within the Liberty Korea Party that disagrees with this approach. A senior lawmaker said, "If it leads to demands for Leader Hwang to step down, the unification talks could collapse." Although they have gathered, there is a possibility of wasting time due to disputes over leadership and shares.

The fact that Hyuktongwi is a loose agreement body without binding power could also be a source of future conflict. Even if agreements are made within Hyuktongwi, they could fall apart during the ratification process by each party. Chairman Park said, "The matters decided here must ultimately be implemented through discussions within each party."

The New Conservative Party is the most opposed to this. On the 10th, responsible representative Ha told reporters, "If the agreed matters are ignored because the leadership of the two parties or especially dissenters in the party caucus oppose them, unification will not happen," adding, "Hyuktongwi must have stronger authority. Without that, the process will continue but inevitably remain unstable."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.