Five Progressive Parties: "April 7 By-Election, Judgment on Entrenched Politics... Need for Unity to Oppose the Cartel"

Five Progressive Parties Including Justice Party and Basic Income Party Announce 'Joint Anti-Establishment Political Declaration'

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] On the 2nd, five progressive parties including the Justice Party referred to the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party as the "two giant vested-interest parties," criticizing that although these parties are leading the April 7 by-elections, supporting either side does not significantly differ from the worst outcome. They emphasized that a strong alliance of like-minded parties and politicians is urgently needed to confront the cartel of the two giant vested-interest parties, and announced that the progressive parties have come together to pursue common policy goals.

On the first day of early voting for the April 7 by-elections, five parties?the Basic Income Party, Green Party, Future Party, Justice Party, and Progressive Party?declared a "Joint Anti-Vested-Interest Politics for the April 7 By-elections," urging voters to "vote for the possibility of change."

In their statement, they said, "The two giant vested-interest parties are ignoring the people's expectations and rushing down the exact opposite path," adding, "Although these two parties are leading the April 7 by-elections, voters are well aware that supporting either side will not change the outcome, which leads to frustration."

They criticized the current government's real estate policies, sexual violence incidents involving local government heads, and the Busan Gadeokdo New Airport project in detail.

Regarding real estate policy, they mentioned, "The 25 real estate policies have repeatedly failed, resulting in double-digit increases every year, and amid this, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH)'s involvement in real estate speculation revealed a typical case of power-driven real estate speculation." They continued, "Candidates from the two giant vested-interest parties are recklessly making development pledges and are flooding policies that suppress official land price increases or provide tax cuts for asset owners," pointing out, "There is no sign of a policy vision such as an innovative shift in the national fiscal paradigm."

They also pointed out that sexual violence incidents involving local government heads should be understood not as individual problems but as issues of monopolized power. They criticized, "The ruling party is ignoring why the by-elections in Seoul and Busan occurred, buried under development competition," and accused the ruling party of amending its party constitution to enter the election and of its influential figures continuing to make secondary victimizing remarks.

Regarding the climate crisis, they cited the Busan Gadeokdo New Airport as a representative case, criticizing that instead of transformative policies, all kinds of development and technology policies are being unleashed.

They stated, "Citizens have voted to avoid the worst choice rather than to make the best political choice due to the problematic two-party centered political system," and announced, "We intend to carry out a joint campaign of 'Vested Interests OUT, Vote for the Possibility of Change.'"

They concluded that this election should be one that ▲eradicates real estate speculation and guarantees housing rights for ordinary people and youth, ▲eliminates sexual violence and all forms of discrimination, ▲initiates green transition policies to stop the climate crisis, and ▲opens prospects for life for citizens and future generations.

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