Kim Sun-rye, Joins Liberty Republican Party... "Will Resign from Supreme Council Position"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Kim Soon-rye, a Supreme Council member of the United Future Party (proportional representation), announced on the 4th that she is joining the Liberty Republican Party. She made this decision in protest after being excluded from the party nomination due to the controversy over her 'May 18 Gwangju remarks.'

On the same day, Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly and stated, "I will step down from my Supreme Council position and join the Liberty Republican Party." The Liberty Republican Party was formed by merging the Our Republican Party led by Assemblyman Cho Won-jin and the Liberty Unification Party led by former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo. Assemblyman Seo Cheong-won also joined the party the day before.

Kim said, "I have worked hard to uphold conservative values and achieve a grand unification of the conservative right. I take pride in having stood at the forefront, not shying away from difficult struggles for the party and its members." She added, "However, the party's conclusion for me was a cut-off from the 21st general election nomination. They used me as a sacrificial tool under the guise of innovation."

She criticized the United Future Party's nomination management committee, saying, "They are wielding their power with factional purges, unfair favoritism disputes, and arbitrary tyranny." She further accused them of "nominating people who fit their own standards, driving the conservative right toward destruction."

Kim stated, "I want to make a new start. I will judge the tyranny of Moon Jae-in's leftist regime and follow the path of President Syngman Rhee's spirit of free nation-building, President Park Chung-hee's spirit of industrialized wealth, and President Park Geun-hye's spirit of free unification." She added, "I will become a seed for the complete grand unification of conservatism within the Liberty Republican Party, which pursues a single free-right party."

Kim is the second assembly member to leave the party in protest of the cut-off, following Assemblyman Yoon Sang-hyun.

However, Kim left open the possibility of resignation. Since she is a proportional representative, if she leaves the party without being expelled, she would lose her assembly seat. Regarding her resignation, she said, "I would appreciate it if they expelled me. To speak for the national cause, one needs the status and authority held by a member of the National Assembly." She added, "There have been cases in other parties where members maintained their party affiliation, so I will respond with various options."

Regarding her future plans, including running in the general election, she said, "I have left the options open. I have not closed my office." She concluded, "Politics is a living thing, so please watch closely."

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