Future Korea Party Founded on the 5th... Hwang Kyo-ahn Attends Saying "We Are One Body"

Han Seon-gyo Elected as Inaugural Party Leader... Jo Hun-hyeon and Kim Seong-chan Also to Join
'Youth Party' Miraedang "Disband Immediately" Intrudes... Party Member Grabs Hair

On the 5th, at the Future Korea Party Central Party Founding Convention held at the National Assembly, Representative Han Seon-gyo, who was elected as the leader, raised both hands high. The Future Korea Party is a satellite party created by the Liberty Korea Party in response to the semi-proportional representation system applied in the April 15 general election. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The Future Korea Party, a satellite party proportional to the Liberty Korea Party, was founded on the 5th after many twists and turns. Han Seon-gyo was unanimously appointed as the first party leader, and this week, Liberty Korea Party lawmakers Kim Seong-chan and Jo Hun-hyun will join. On this day, Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn emphasized the party's identity again, saying, "We are one body."

The Future Korea Party held its central party founding convention in the afternoon at the National Assembly Library auditorium to announce its launch. At the event, along with leader Hwang and the Liberty Korea Party leadership, lawmakers Jo Hun-hyun, Yoon Jong-pil, Kim Jong-seok, Ahn Sang-soo, Jeong Jin-seok, Kim Sang-hoon, Moon Jin-guk, Kim Hyun-ah, and Jeon Hee-kyung also attended to show their support.

Amid ongoing criticism from both ruling and opposition parties calling it a "garbage party," "disguised affiliate," and "puppet party," the Liberty Korea Party emphasized the inevitability of the founding as a necessary choice due to the revision of the election law introducing a mixed-member proportional representation system.

In his congratulatory speech, leader Hwang said, "The founding of the Future Korea Party is a desperate measure by the free democratic forces to save a collapsing country," and raised his voice, calling it "a legitimate response to the illegal election reform that trampled on the constitution and an inevitable result of the disastrous collusion that introduced a mixed-member proportional representation system, which is hard to find a precedent for in the world."

He also emphasized that the Liberty Korea Party and the Future Korea Party are essentially one. Leader Hwang said, "Many who moved their nests from our Liberty Korea Party to join the newly founded Future Korea Party share the same heart wherever they are," adding, "We will move as one heart and one body, join hands, and run for the great cause of judging the Moon Jae-in administration."

At the event, the party constitution and platform were approved, and lawmaker Han was unanimously appointed as the first party leader.

In his acceptance speech, Han said, "Through the Future Korea Party's victory in the general election, we will show that this is exactly what the definition of mixed-member proportional representation is," emphasizing youth and expertise as the criteria for proportional representation nominations.

He addressed party members, saying, "When it comes to conservative parties, even we ourselves or young people say we are old. Let's just accept it," and stressed, "Through the Future Korea Party, we will lower the political age of young people and do everything possible so that they can lead the Republic of Korea with their power." He added, "As a party specializing in proportional representation, we will be a proportional representation party for all support forces who love and protect the free democracy of the Republic of Korea, embracing all conservative forces at the forefront," and said, "We will create a Future Korea Party that all conservative forces can participate in."

Leader Han plans to form an additional leadership team this week. Lawmakers Jo Hun-hyun and Kim Seong-chan, who declared they would not run for re-election, will defect and take the positions of secretary-general and supreme council member, respectively. A Liberty Korea Party official said, "Only lawmaker Han has submitted a resignation letter; lawmaker Jo is a proportional representative, so more time is needed as the process must go through the party caucus." The Future Korea Party aims to form a party with at least five incumbent lawmakers before the scheduled party subsidy payment on the 15th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, at the event, a commotion occurred when Oh Tae-yang, leader of the youth party Uri Mirae Party, stormed in and demanded the dissolution of the party.

Right after leader Hwang's congratulatory speech ended, Oh suddenly climbed onto the podium and shouted, "The Future Korea Party is an illegal party. Dissolve it immediately," criticizing the founding of the Future Korea Party. Party officials trying to restrain Oh and reporters tangled, causing a loud disturbance in the venue for a while, and Oh was assaulted by some party members who grabbed his hair.

Following this, Shim Jae-cheol, the Liberty Korea Party floor leader, said in his congratulatory speech, "Such behavior clearly shows how threatening the Future Korea Party is. If there was no interest, they wouldn't even bother to disrupt," and confidently stated, "Such disruptions prove that the Future Korea Party has valuable assets to rise."

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