"Not Resolving"… Future United Party-Future Korea Party Proportional Representation Ranking Conflict 'Worsening'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] The conflict between the United Future Party and the Future Korea Party over the order of proportional representation candidates shows little sign of reconciliation. While the United Future Party demands a complete revision, the nomination committee insists, "Only about one person can be changed." As the gap between the two sides remains wide, the Future Korea Party's Supreme Council meeting scheduled for the morning of the 18th was also postponed.

The Future Korea Party announced that the Supreme Council meeting, which was scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, was postponed. Since no new schedule has been set, it is still undecided whether the Supreme Council will resume on the same day. Originally, Han Seon-gyo, the Future Korea Party leader, planned to hold the Supreme Council meeting in the morning to reconsider the proportional representation list.

The reason for discussing reconsideration at the Supreme Council was due to objections from the United Future Party after its recruited talents were pushed to lower ranks on the proportional representation list prepared by the Future Korea Party. Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, had also pressured strongly, saying, "We could submit our own proportional representation candidates." However, Gong Byung-ho, chairman of the nomination committee, maintained the position that "even five is too many," and only about one person, such as Yoon Joo-kyung, the eldest daughter of independence activist Yoon Bong-gil and former director of the Independence Hall, could be moved up in the order, so the gap remained difficult to close.

Accordingly, additional discussions are expected to take place within the Future Korea Party as early as the same day. Jeong Un-cheon, a Supreme Council member of the Future Korea Party, told reporters in the morning, "Organizing work is necessary," adding, "Since the problem is not fundamentally resolved, it is being matured, but without consensus, holding a meeting only causes conflict and is meaningless."

However, given the significant differences in the scope of adjustment between the United Future Party and the Future Korea Party, it is uncertain whether the issue will be resolved in the short term. Park Hyung-joon, co-chairman of the United Future Party's joint election campaign committee, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the same day and said, "If the discord continues, the United Future Party is fundamentally considering a review," revealing that discussions are underway, including the possibility of nullifying the proportional representation list created by the nomination committee. On the other hand, Leader Han plans to request reconsideration for about five candidates. Chairman Gong maintains the position that existing candidates can only be expelled if reasons equivalent to legal violations are found, indicating a considerable difference in perception.

With the election just a month away, the proportional representation nomination noise surrounding the general election is intensifying as the Future Korea Party triggers a 'nomination rebellion.' Regarding this, Kim Hyung-oh, former chairman of the United Future Party's nomination committee who resigned taking responsibility for the Gangnam-byeong nomination reversal, appealed to stop the division and focus on the election centered on the campaign committee. He sent a message to reporters in the morning, saying, "We must revive the spirit of unity and rally as a single front to judge the regime. Division and factional behavior shake the party and go against the people's mandate," and urged, "All candidates of the United Future Party should conduct election campaigns in a coordinated yet diverse manner centered on the campaign committee."

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