Principles and Common Sense, Formation of 'Miraedaeyeonhap'... Park Won-seok and Jeong Tae-geun Join

Lee Won-wook, Kim Jong-min, and Cho Eung-cheon Declare Party Formation
Joining Regardless of Progressive or Conservative
Founding Members' Meeting on the 14th "Will Present Before Lunar New Year"

Three members of the Innovation faction who left the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Won-wook, Kim Jong-min, and Cho Eung-cheon, declared the founding of the "Future Grand Alliance (tentative name)." Former Justice Party lawmaker Park Won-seok and former Grand National Party (predecessor of the People Power Party) lawmaker Jung Tae-geun also announced their joining.

On the morning of the 12th, Lee Won-wook, Kim Jong-min, and Cho Eung-cheon of the "Principles and Common Sense" group held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office to declare the founding of the Future Grand Alliance. Former Justice Party lawmaker Park Won-seok and former Grand National Party lawmaker Jung Tae-geun each submitted their resignation from their respective parties and stood together on the same day. Cho Eung-cheon stated, "To break down vested interest politics and move towards politics that change the world, reform forces and future forces must unite and form an alliance," adding, "All forces that agree to break vested interest politics and are prepared to relinquish their own vested interests must join forces."

Members of the 'Principles and Common Sense' group, a non-Lee Jae-myung faction within the Democratic Party of Korea, are holding a press conference announcing their resignation from the party at the National Assembly on the 10th. From left to right: Assemblymen Cho Eung-cheon, Lee Won-wook, and Kim Jong-min.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Future Grand Alliance will hold its founding promoters' meeting at the National Assembly on the 14th and begin full-scale activities. In addition to the three current lawmakers who left the main opposition party, former lawmakers from various camps have also declared their joining, drawing attention to whether the formation of a 'third zone big tent' will accelerate. Former lawmaker Park Won-seok, who will serve as the spokesperson for the Future Grand Alliance for the time being, presented five agenda items for the new party: ▲ responding to new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) ▲ alternatives to resolve polarization and inequality ▲ measures for climate crisis, population crisis, and regional extinction ▲ peace strategies to overcome the North Korean nuclear threat amid changes in the international order ▲ social integration respecting diversity. Under the goal of breaking the political monopoly of the two major parties, the plan is to expand influence through dialogue on various agendas.

Immediately after the founding declaration, lawmaker Kim Jong-min told reporters, "The Future Grand Alliance is not simply created or promoted for the physical union of forces," emphasizing, "The goal is to establish values and visions for a new future and unite people who agree with or can join these. The Future Grand Alliance was formed to realize that work."

Former lawmaker Park Won-seok explained, "Several new parties have emerged or organizing bodies are moving in the third zone," adding, "It is an ambition to move beyond the two-party monopoly politics and confrontational politics toward the future." He continued, "To do this, a large table where everyone can sit together must be set, and someone has to set the table first. We will take on that role," he stressed.

On the 12th, at the National Assembly, Rep. Jo Eung-cheon and others held a press conference titled 'Principles and Common Sense.' From the left: Rep. Lee Won-wook, former Grand National Party Rep. Jung Tae-geun, Rep. Kim Jong-min, former Justice Party Rep. Park Won-seok, and Rep. Jo.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since former leader Lee Nak-yeon declared his resignation the day before and stated he would cooperate with comrades from "Principles and Common Sense," it is known that the timing to merge forces is also being coordinated. Although some media outlets reported that lawmaker Lee Won-wook denied this, he explained, "Since issues of vision and values must come first, the question of 'whether to immediately form a joint founding committee' was premature."

The Future Grand Alliance plans to reveal its "big tent plan" in detail soon. Lawmaker Kim Jong-min said, "We declared the founding of a new party with the goal of uniting reform forces moving toward the future," adding, "We will begin full-scale talks with various forces including former leaders Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok." He also added, "At the latest, the 'big tent' will be unveiled before the Lunar New Year."

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