Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok Officialize New Party... Growing Impact of the 'Third Zone' (Comprehensive)

Former Party Leaders' New Party Formation Efforts Become Visible
Possibility of Third-Force Alliance... "Cooperation Needed to Break Two-Party Politics"

As the year of the 2024 general election dawns, the political sphere's movements toward forming new parties have also surfaced. Both the ruling and opposition parties have officially declared the formation of new parties centered around former leaders, drawing attention to the impact the 'third zone' may have on the general election.

On the 2nd, in political circles, it is expected that former leader Lee Jun-seok, who left the People Power Party last month and declared the formation of a new party, will complete the party formation procedures around mid-month and begin candidate selection work. In the opposition, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon has officially announced the formation of a new party and plans to reveal specific formation plans early this year. Both former leaders Lee Jun-seok and Lee Nak-yeon have left open the possibility of an alliance with each other.

Former leader of the Democratic Party Lee Nak-yeon is greeting supporters with New Year's wishes on the morning of the 1st at Haengju Fortress in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee Jun-seok, who serves as the chairman of the Reform New Party's Policy Committee, appeared on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' that day and expressed a positive stance on the possibility of an alliance with former leader Lee Nak-yeon, saying, "I believe it would be a complementary union." He added, "I personally do not know former leader Lee Nak-yeon," but said, "It could be that our minds do not align, or conversely, if there is a human connection, other aspects could become mutually complementary. Since he has lived a different life from mine, I need to get to know him better first."

Regarding the goal of forming the new party, he stated, "I want to create a party run by sane people," and added, "I think it is hard to see the People Power Party, which President Yoon Seok-yeol has stirred up here and there, as a conservative party." Former leader Lee plans to complete the party formation procedures around mid-month and begin practical candidate selection work.

In the opposition, former leader Lee Nak-yeon has officially announced the formation of a new party and is accelerating preparations. However, he has not yet declared the formation of the new party and is expected to announce his resignation from the party and plans for the new party soon.

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok is speaking at the Reform New Party's New Year's greeting event held in the main conference room of Seoul Station on the morning of the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Former leader Lee Nak-yeon stated that he needs time to explain the reasons for his resignation and the formation of the new party to party members. In an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' he said, "I cannot confirm the date of the (new party formation) declaration," and added, "There must first be a procedure where I say, 'I have no choice but to leave the party for these reasons. I ask for the forgiveness of party members.'"

He continued, "Quite a few people are sympathetic to (the new party formation)," and said, "There are also many who have expressed the need for a new party much earlier than I have, pressuring and urging me. I judged that it is fate and should not be ignored," reaffirming his determination to form the party.

He also showed a positive stance on the possibility of an alliance with former leader Lee Jun-seok. Former leader Lee Nak-yeon emphasized, "If we agree on ending the worst evils of two-party politics, we must cooperate with anyone," and added, "Although there is no specific plan yet on when to meet former leader Lee Jun-seok, breaking the solid wall of vested interests of the two parties is not an easy task, so cooperation is natural."

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