United Future Party Selects 'People Power' as New Name... "No Need to Debate Differences or Similarities"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] The United Future Party has selected 'Gukminui Him' (People Power) as the final candidate for its new party name.

On the 31st, the United Future Party announced at an emergency committee meeting that it had chosen 'Gukminui Him' as the final candidate and plans to submit it to the National Committee on the 2nd of next month.

The party held a nationwide party name contest from the 13th to the 21st, receiving 16,941 submissions. Based on the most frequently suggested word, 'Gukmin' (People), they prepared the new party name.

'Gukminui Him' embodies three meanings: ▲ the power that comes from the people, ▲ the power exercised for the people, and ▲ the power that unites the people. Additionally, it aims to be ▲ a party that practices liberal democracy through the power of the people rather than specific factions, ▲ a party that stands with all citizens, and ▲ a party that unites through the people's power to open a new future.

Kim Soo-min, head of the United Future Party's Public Relations Headquarters, said, "What we gained from this process was not simply party name ideas," adding, "From analyzing the names, we could read the earnest hope of the majority of the people for the party to be reborn as one that serves the people, and we tried to embody that in the party name."

Regarding the abbreviation of the new party name, he said, "The basic reason for abbreviating is to avoid misunderstandings when the party name is long," and added, "Since the party name consists of four words, there is no need for an abbreviation."

There were suspicions that the similar party name to the opposition People's Party was intended to hint at a merger. In response, Kim said, "Drawing such a big picture is beyond my authority," and added, "There is no need to argue over differences or similarities."

Regarding Democratic Party lawmaker Jung Cheong-rae's call to stop using 'Gukminui Him' because it was the name of a civic group he co-led as the first co-chair in 2003, Kim dismissed it, saying, "He is someone who thinks freely, so it is not something to take seriously," and added, "It was also used in 2012 and has been used multiple times despite changes over the years."

Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the United Future Party, said, "The word 'Gukmin' (People) itself does not belong to any camp or ideology," and asked, "Please understand that 'people' transcend ideology and camps and come from the spirit of the constitution."

Regarding critical opinions raised at the party meeting that day, Kim said, "There is unfamiliarity with the new party name candidate," and added, "If there are suggestions to consider other options, the parliamentary leadership will consider them without hesitation."

The United Future Party plans to change the party color along with the party name before Chuseok. Kim said, "Once the party name is decided, we will work on the symbol and colors for two weeks and finalize them, then unveil them along with the party headquarters signboard ceremony between the second and third weeks of next month."

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