The Challenge of the '3-Party Merger' Minshengdang... The Rising Role of Sohn Hak-kyu

Essential to Target the Seoul Metropolitan Area for a Third-Party Surge
Son's Call to Run in Jongno Gains Momentum
Possible Appointment as Election Committee Chair in General Election

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The three parties based in Honam?the Bareunmirae Party, the Alternative New Party, and the Party for Democracy and Peace?have completed their merger into the Minsheng Party. However, to recreate the third-force surge seen in the 20th general election, expanding beyond Honam into the Seoul metropolitan area is essential. This is also why demands within the party for former Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu to run in a constituency are emerging along these lines.

A representative from Sohn’s side told Asia Economy on the 25th, "He is currently at the stage of considering (running in a constituency)," adding, "Some people suggest Jongno, but I think he would have taken votes from former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon of the Democratic Party rather than from Future United Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn."

The call for Sohn to run in Jongno is interpreted as an effort by the Minsheng Party, as a third party, to create a confrontation with the two major parties and raise the party’s support rate in Seoul. At the Supreme Council meeting on the 10th, Sohn criticized the contest between former Prime Minister Lee and leader Hwang in Jongno, saying, "Why should a parliamentary election become a battleground for presidential candidates?" and called it "a symbol of the extreme confrontation politics of the two major parties under the presidential system."

Sohn has taken on the role of a savior in general elections whenever the party was in difficulty. He led the 18th general election in 2008 by running in Jongno but lost to former Hannara Party lawmaker Park Jin by a margin of 3.67 percentage points. At that time, he was the leader of the United Democratic Party, and the party was in a very difficult situation following a crushing defeat in the presidential election. In April 2011, Sohn ran in a by-election in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province?a stronghold of the Hannara Party?and defeated former Hannara Party leader Kang Jae-seop.

At his retirement press conference the day before, Sohn responded to calls within the party to run by saying, "Many people are talking about it. There are discussions that I should run in a specific area to raise the political standing of our Minsheng Party," adding, "I will think about it more. Rather than focusing on what I want to achieve, if there is something to be done for the party and the politics of this country, I have never avoided it so far."

With the general election approaching, the Minsheng Party is expected to quickly transition to an election committee system. In this process, Sohn is also likely to take on the role of election committee chairman and play a part in the general election. On the 25th, Minsheng Party co-representative Kim Jung-hwa said on tbs radio, "Former leader Sohn said he would serve as a rank-and-file member, but if there is a necessary role, he would not refuse," adding, "It may not be immediately, but at the right time and in the appropriate position, I believe he will take on a significant role for the party and the country."

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