One Incumbent Lawmaker in Mirae Hangukdang... Number 2 on the Ballot, a 'Long Journey'

Korean Party's Proportional Satellite Party Founded on the 5th
Expected Absence from Non-Candidacy Declaration... Reluctance Despite Defection

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The Future Korea Party, a satellite party for proportional representation affiliated with the Liberty Korea Party, will be founded on the 5th. It is a modest start, with only one incumbent lawmaker expected to join. The Liberty Korea Party plans to place the Future Korea Party's name in the top section of the proportional representation ballot, but additional defections of Liberty Korea Party lawmakers are facing difficulties.

The Future Korea Party will hold its central party founding convention at 2 p.m. at the National Assembly and officially launch. Han Seon-gyo, a Liberty Korea Party lawmaker who declared he would not run in the April general election, has been confirmed as the party leader. The Liberty Korea Party leadership, including leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, will also attend to lend support.

However, many Liberty Korea Party lawmakers who declared they would not run are expected to be absent. Lawmaker Yoo Min-bong stated, "There was no invitation at all," expressing his intention not to attend. A representative of another lawmaker who had not confirmed attendance until the last moment said, "I do not plan to attend today’s event," adding, "Going to the event itself could be seen as defection, so everyone is hesitant."

The Liberty Korea Party initially intended to transfer lawmakers who declared they would not run to the Future Korea Party, but this plan is encountering setbacks. Lawmakers are reluctant to defect. So far, a total of 12 lawmakers have declared they will not run, including some classified as pro-Park (pro-Park Geun-hye) or pro-Hwang (pro-Hwang Kyo-ahn) factions, but even they remain cold toward joining the Future Korea Party. One pro-Park faction lawmaker said, "I will absolutely not go."

The first deadline is before the payment of party subsidies on the 15th. At least five incumbent lawmakers must be present to receive approximately 500 million won in regular subsidies to prepare for the general election. The Liberty Korea Party is expected to continue persuading four lawmakers who declared they would not run to defect. While most are reluctant to defect, some lawmakers are in continuous talks with the party secretariat, suggesting the possibility of additional joiners.

The final deadline is March 27, the candidate registration deadline for the main election. According to Article 150 of the Public Official Election Act, the order of party names on the ballot paper is determined based on the number of seats held in the National Assembly as of the candidate registration deadline. Currently, there are 10 parliamentary parties with incumbent lawmakers, so with only one incumbent lawmaker, the Future Korea Party will inevitably be placed in the 10th position or lower.

To have the effect of voting for the Liberty Korea Party, the party name must be placed in the second slot on the ballot paper. To achieve this, more incumbent lawmakers than the 19 seats held by the Bareunmirae Party must defect to the Future Korea Party. They would need to gather not only lawmakers who declared they would not run but also those who were cut off from nominations, but whether they will join is uncertain. While criticisms of this tactic as a trick persist, there is also a possibility that it may fail to produce the intended effect.

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