Geum Tae-seop: "Both Conservatives and Progressives Can Support Our Party... Not Considering Absorbing Supporters of Specific Parties"

"Pursuit of Republicanism... Progressive, Conservative, and Moderate Are Outdated Standards"

Geum Tae-seop, a former lawmaker leading the founding of the third-party 'Saeroun Seontaek' (New Choice), revealed that the party aims to form a third force with about 30 seats in the Seoul metropolitan area and identified itself as a party that can be supported by both conservatives and progressives.

On the 23rd, on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' in response to the host's question, "Where is your support base?" Geum said, "What we have been contemplating and want to include is republicanism," adding, "asking whether we belong to progressive, conservative, or centrist camps is really an outdated standard."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Saeroun Seontaek is expected to hold its founding promoter meeting on the 19th of next month and begin full-scale activities after Chuseok. The goal is 30 seats in the Seoul metropolitan area. In this regard, within the ruling party, where a 'Seoul metropolitan crisis theory' is circulating, there are concerns that Saeroun Seontaek might absorb supporters of the People Power Party in next year's general election.

However, Geum said, "Since the general election is a few months away, I think both sides (People Power Party and Democratic Party of Korea) are just exaggerating," adding, "We believe that rational and thoughtful voters, whether conservative or progressive, can support our party from both sides. We do not think that many or few supporters from any particular existing party will come."

Saeroun Seontaek aims for 30 seats in the Seoul metropolitan area. He said, "Mentioning 30 seats in the metropolitan area does not mean we disregard regions. In the past, when new parties emerged, they always chose a specific region to focus on as their base for elections, but we will not do that," adding, "We are not centered around any particular presidential candidate or region; rather, we will approach elections based on content and solutions."

One of the obstacles for the third-party new party is the 'single-member district system.' The winner-takes-all single-member district system is one of the reasons why the two major parties monopolize seats. Geum said, "It is difficult for a third force to emerge under the single-member district system," but added, "Voters have gone through a process of giving a majority vote to the Park Geun-hye administration over the past decade, then actively supporting the Moon Jae-in administration, and now giving a chance to the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. I believe this has reached a tipping point where the existing structure no longer works," expressing his expectations.

Regarding criticism that there is no presidential candidate-level figure, he said, "New parties have never succeeded so far, and if you center around one presidential candidate like Chairman Chung Ju-young or Ahn Cheol-soo, the organization tends to focus only on that person's thoughts and words," adding, "At first, they gain recognition and popularity, but later, it all falls apart and fails. We believe it is necessary to gather the will of many people, even if it is difficult at first."

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