Third Zone Promoting 'Generational Change'... Yet No Incumbents Are Withdrawing

Honam Multiple-Term Lawmakers Also Criticized for 'Protecting Their Own Seats'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Political parties pursuing the third zone, such as the Bareunmirae Party, the Alternative New Party, and the Democratic Peace Party, are promoting a 'generation replacement theory' targeting next year's general election. However, no incumbent lawmakers from the third zone have announced their retirement so far. While declarations of retirement are continuing among the Democratic Party of Korea and the Liberty Korea Party, it seems difficult to avoid criticism that veteran lawmakers in the third zone are solely focused on keeping their seats.

A source from the third zone told Asia Economy on the 16th, "It seems that our party's lawmakers have no intention of retiring," expressing concern over the complete lack of personnel reform. The recognition is that even if the third zone parties unify in the future, without a large-scale personnel overhaul, it will be difficult to expect a second wave like the People's Party. However, a first-term lawmaker from the third zone lamented, "We actually do not have many human resources," adding, "There needs to be a balance between youth and middle-aged groups."

The proportion of senior lawmakers with three or more terms in the third zone parties is relatively higher compared to the Democratic Party and the Liberty Korea Party. Among the Bareunmirae Party's pro-party faction, 4 out of 9 members (44.4%) are three-term or more; the Alternative New Party has 4 out of 8 (50%); and the Democratic Peace Party has 2 out of 5 (40%). Most of these are lawmakers with three or more terms representing constituencies in Honam. In contrast, the proportion of senior lawmakers in the Democratic Party and the Liberty Korea Party is only 38 out of 129 (29.4%) and 35 out of 108 (32.4%), respectively.

So far, lawmakers who have declared retirement from the Democratic Party include Lee Hae-chan (7 terms), Won Hye-young (5 terms), Kang Chang-il, Park Young-sun, Jin Young (4 terms), Kim Hyun-mi, Baek Jae-hyun (3 terms), Yoo Eun-hye (2 terms), and Seo Hyung-soo, Lee Yong-deuk, Lee Cheol-hee, Pyo Chang-won (first term). From the Liberty Korea Party, lawmakers who have declared retirement include Kim Moo-sung (6 terms), Kim Jung-hoon, Han Seon-kyo (4 terms), Kim Se-yeon, Kim Young-woo, Yeo Sang-gyu (3 terms), Kim Do-eup, Kim Sung-chan (2 terms), Yoo Min-bong, Yoon Sang-jik, Cho Hoon-hyun, Choi Yeon-hye (first term).

Earlier, Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu raised the issue of political reform for generation replacement. At the Supreme Council meeting on the 13th, Leader Sohn said, "If discussions on the third zone integration end up creating another political force in a specific region, it will be a repetition of old-fashioned politics," adding, "If the integration is premised on the unification of centrist reform forces rather than regionalism, and generation replacement is set as the top priority for this, I am willing to participate in integration discussions at any time."

Choi Kyung-hwan, leader of the Alternative New Party, also said on the same day, "I fully welcome Leader Sohn's response to the third force integration proposal, saying 'The third force integration must be for future generations,'" adding, "Integration is not a choice but a necessity, and I hope we can discuss this together through the Alternative New Party's Integration Promotion Committee going forward."

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