Future United Party Formally Launches with Full Lineup... Will Hwang Kyo-ahn and Yoo Seung-min Join Hands?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The conservative camp, which had been scattered during the impeachment process of former President Park Geun-hye, is reuniting under the name 'United Future Party' after three years. Attention is focused on whether it will surpass the 'Old Saenuri Party' through reformist candidate nominations. With the successful expansion of its base by the large-scale inclusion of centrist and youth parties and figures, it is also noteworthy whether Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, and Yoo Seung-min, chairman of the Conservative Reconstruction Committee of the New Conservative Party, will meet and join hands.

The United Future Party, newly established through the merger of the Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party, and the Party for Progress 4.0 (Jeonjin Party), will hold its inauguration ceremony under the theme '2020 United Before the People' at 2 p.m. on the 17th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, officially declaring its launch. At the event, the United Future Party will announce its core values and vision, and unveil its official party name, logo, party color, and platform.

With this launch, the conservative camp, which had been scattered since the 2017 impeachment, is coming together again after three years. The conservative camp had been conducting behind-the-scenes integration efforts since last Chuseok, and from last month, formed the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee (Innovation Committee) to engage in full-scale integration discussions, ultimately leading to the creation of a new party by the three parties.

The new party's leadership will operate with a 12-member system, adding four members to the existing eight-member leadership of the Liberty Korea Party. Confirmed additions include Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong, Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the Young Party Vision Committee of the New Conservative Party, former People's Party lawmaker Kim Young-hwan, and Kim Won-sung, supreme council member of the Jeonjin Party. The inclusion of Governor Won, representing centrist conservatives, Chairman Lee, representing the youth, Supreme Council Member Kim representing the Jeonjin Party, and former lawmaker Kim, classified as part of the 'old Ahn Cheol-soo faction,' is analyzed as adding centrist and youth colors and balancing the various factions.

The new party's nomination committee will retain the Liberty Korea Party's Kim Hyung-oh nomination committee but plans to increase the number of committee members from the previous limit of 10 to up to 13, allowing for the possible addition of one or two members from civic groups. Previously, Jang Ki-pyo, co-chairman of the United New Party Preparation Committee (Preparation Committee), representing conservative civic groups, and other preparatory members had expressed their intention to resign after their demand to expand the nomination committee was rejected.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

During the integration process, a meeting between Leader Hwang and Chairman Yoo seemed likely but was ultimately canceled, and attention is focused on whether Chairman Yoo will participate in the event. Previously, Chairman Yoo did not attend the Innovation Committee's public report meeting held on the 31st of last month. It is also known that even within the New Conservative Party, the possibility of Chairman Yoo's attendance is considered low. On the day, Representative Jung Byung-guk appeared on BBS Radio's 'Lee Sang-hwi's Morning Journal' and said, "He has been giving everything and declared he would not run, then went down to his region. It seems hard to contact him, but I have not yet heard his answer on whether he will attend or not."

However, there is also an opinion that his attendance is merely a formality. Representative Joo Ho-young of the Liberty Korea Party appeared on YTN Radio's 'No Young-hee's Start New Morning' and explained, "It would be best if he attends, but even if he does not, since practical consultations at the party-to-party level are already underway, whether they meet or not is not that important."

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