Progressive United Party, D-Day on the 8th... "Will Ultimately Make a Decision to Find a Clever Solution"

Senior figures from civil society held a press conference on the morning of the 28th at Heungsadan in Daehangno, proposing the establishment of the Political Reform Alliance to block the Future Korea Party and complete political reform.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The fate of the progressive proportional representation coalition party is expected to be decided around Sunday, the 8th. This is the physical deadline to meet the legal requirements for party formation under the election law, and it is the day when the Justice Party’s national committee meeting, a key event, will be held. Those pushing for the coalition party anticipate that "each party will ultimately make a decision and find a clever solution."

The Democratic Party of Korea has formalized discussions on participating in the coalition party. On the 6th, Lee Nak-yeon, co-chairman of the Democratic Party’s joint election committee, told reporters, "Substantive discussions are expected to take place within a few days." Meanwhile, the Justice Party maintains its stance that a party exclusively for proportional representation is unacceptable. Among the smaller parties, the Future Party, which advocates as a youth party, has for the first time announced it will consider participation and urged the Democratic Party and the Justice Party to provide answers.

A representative from the Political Reform Coalition Party Preparatory Committee said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the same day, "Since the party must be formed with party rules and regulations by the 16th, each party must make a decision by this weekend, and I understand they will do so," adding, "There are power dynamics among the parties, and there is a battle of nerves and justifications over where to unravel the knot. I believe they will find a clever solution in some form."

The parties involved in the coalition push include the Democratic Party, Justice Party, Minsheng Party, Green Party, and Future Party. The official said, "There is no time to engage in detailed negotiations and exchanges. A major, one-point agreement decision must be made," and expressed hope, "I expect they will make a decision out of a sense of responsibility for the public’s disillusionment caused by the Future United Party’s satellite party."

Kim Jong-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker, appeared on KBS Radio’s "Kim Kyung-rae’s Strong Current Affairs" on the same day and expressed the view that participation in the coalition party is possible regardless of the number of proportional seats. Kim, who served as the Democratic Party’s secretary on the Political Reform Special Committee that discussed the introduction of the mixed-member proportional representation system, said, "If there is a coalition party, whether the Democratic Party has 7 seats or 5 seats there is not much importance to the number of seats." However, he added, "Should we just give all the seats to the Justice Party? I cannot guarantee that would be a good choice for voters."

There is a view that strategic electoral alliances based on agreements between the Justice Party and the two major parties are unrealistic. At the Justice Party’s national committee meeting scheduled for the 8th, it is expected that many opinions from party members regarding the coalition party will be voiced. For now, it is understood that if the Democratic Party makes a decision first, a plan can be formulated.

Kim Jong-min, the Justice Party’s vice representative who shares the same name as the Democratic Party lawmaker, appeared on MBC Radio’s "Kim Jong-bae’s Focus" on the same day and said, "If the Democratic Party does not field proportional candidates or under certain conditions, the Justice Party must have an answer to what the alternative is for the progressive reform camp’s victory in the general election, and we have quite a few plans."

Instead of a coalition party format, each party will compete for the 30 seats capped under the mixed-member proportional system, but if only the Democratic Party opts out, alliances with other progressive minor parties are possible. Meanwhile, the Future Party held a press conference in front of the National Assembly on the same day, stating, "Now is the time for reform forces to unite their strength and wisdom," and urged, "The Democratic Party and the Justice Party must respond to the advice of senior civil society figures by putting aside party centrism under a sense of responsibility. The Future Party will also meet with senior figures first to have frank discussions."

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