A Rising Faction Within the United Future Party... Young Seoul Metropolitan Area Candidates Form the 'Young Future Party'

Statement Released After Seminar on 'The Course of Conservatism' Featuring Jin Joong-kwon

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] A small reformist group centered in the metropolitan area has emerged within the United Future Party. Candidates in their 30s and 40s running in the metropolitan area for the 21st general election declared on the 15th that they "firmly break away from old politics" and formed an intra-party group called the 'Young Future Party.'

The candidates in their 30s and 40s from the metropolitan area made this statement immediately after the debate titled "Discussing the 21st General Election: Lost Conservative Politics, What Is the Solution?" hosted by Assemblymen Oh Shin-hwan and Yoo Ui-dong at the National Assembly. Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon attended as a presenter and diagnosed the causes of the United Future Party's crushing defeat in the general election. The event was attended by elected members Yoo Ui-dong and Ha Tae-kyung, as well as candidates Oh Shin-hwan, Lee Jun-seok, Song Han-seop, Kim Jae-seop, Park Jin-ho, and Kim Yong-tae.

In their statement, they said, "We resolve to take action to restore the public's trust in conservative politics" and "We will innovate the party into a reasonable party that protects democracy and constitutional values."

They continued, "To restore public trust in conservative politics, we will reform the party into a competent party that establishes and implements rational alternatives on major national policy agendas including politics, economy, society, culture, diplomacy, and security," emphasizing, "We will take the lead in forming a healthy future discourse to solve fundamental challenges in our society such as low growth and polarization, low birthrate and aging population, economic recovery and livelihood restoration, as well as the Fourth Industrial Revolution and labor reform."

To this end, they decided to form an intra-party group called the 'Young Future Party (tentative name)' consisting of young politicians and party members in their 30s and 40s. This group will operate as an opinion group within the party to chart a new course for conservative politics.

They reflected, "The cause of the 21st general election defeat lies with ourselves. In a situation where public opinion to judge the opposition party overwhelmed the opinion to judge the government, we failed to look at the beam in our own eye," and "Above all, we did not sincerely empathize with or understand the economic and social suffering that the people appeal for."

They stressed, "A representative example is when we drew a line against the pain of the Sewol ferry victims' families or the Gwangju Democratization Movement victims' families and incited unjust hatred toward the victims, only to become the target of hatred ourselves," and "We must fundamentally reconsider why we engage in politics and reestablish the damaged course of conservative politics."

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