Pine Tree, Haeknara, Dividends, Marriage Future... How Far Will Party Names Go?

On the 6th, the 'Sonamudang Party Founding Convention' is being held at the Roh Moo-hyun Citizen Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Sonamudang is a political party founded in prison by Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was arrested on charges related to the distribution of money envelopes at the party convention. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who was arrested and indicted over allegations of money envelopes at the party convention, held a central party founding convention on the afternoon of the 6th at the Roh Moo-hyun Citizens' Center multipurpose hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The new party's name is ‘Sonamudang’ (Pine Tree Party). Song was unable to attend the founding event that day. Instead, he appealed to the court for bail. He said, "Former Minister Cho Kuk was sentenced to prison in the second trial but was not detained in court and is forming and operating a party," adding, "I have not yet received the first trial verdict and am fighting while claiming innocence, so it is hard to accept that I cannot operate even after founding (Sonamudang) today."

Cho Kuk, leader of the National Innovation Party, is taking a commemorative photo with Kim Sun-min, former President of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (left), and Kim Jun-hyung, former President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (right), at the 5th and 6th talent recruitment ceremony held at Art Nine in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 6th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, Song’s side announced on the 1st, "After much consideration for a distinctive party name, we decided to change the tentative name ‘Political Prosecution Abolition Party’ to ‘Sonamudang’," adding, "It also reminds people of Song Young-gil and clearly differentiates from other party names." The initial name was ‘Political Prosecution Abolition Party’ but later changed to ‘Democratic Innovation Party.’ However, they felt it was difficult to differentiate with just the words ‘Democratic’ or ‘Innovation,’ so they chose a new name. The logo of ‘Sonamudang’ was designed in the shape of the Taegeuk symbol. It was meant to express the determination to engage in politics with the spirit of a second independence movement. The party name and logo were created by former Democratic Party lawmaker Son Hye-won. Song also gifted Son a painting that copies Chusa Kim Jeong-hui’s Sehando (Painting of the Cold Winter). Former Minister Cho Kuk, whom Song pointed out, founded the ‘Cho Kuk Innovation Party,’ which incorporates both his name and the homonym of ‘Cho Kuk’ (祖國, meaning homeland), and serves as its leader. Initially, they considered ‘Cho Kuk New Party,’ but changed it to include ‘Innovation’ after concerns that the common noun ‘Cho Kuk’ (祖國) would be more associated with the name.

In this general election as well, a series of parties with unique names are expected to be founded aiming for party promotion and entry into the National Assembly. Four years ago, in the 2020 general election, the ‘Marriage Future Party’ attracted attention. It was a party founded by the head of a marriage information company. Huh Kyung-young, famous for "Look into my eyes," created the ‘Dividend Party’ at that time. He pledged to pay 1.5 million won monthly from age 20 as dividends and 50 million won upon childbirth. Huh currently serves as honorary leader of the National Revolutionary Party he founded, which is recruiting proportional representation candidates. There is also the ‘Nuclear Country Party,’ which pledges to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and manufacture nuclear weapons.

Currently, about 50 parties are registered with the National Election Commission. These include Ganakorea (Korea Party), Garak Privilege Abolition Party, Senior Welfare Party (Senior Party), Dawn of Freedom Party (Dawn Party), Small and Medium Self-Employment Party (Self-Employment Party), Pro-Park New Party, Taegun Party, Korea Farmers and Fishermen Party (Farmers and Fishermen Party), and Hallyu Union Party. There are 14 parties preparing to be founded, including Nuclear Country Party, Judgment of the People, Privilege Abolition Party, Financial Reform Party, and Korean Chamber of Commerce Party. A party is established by registering the central party with the National Election Commission and must have at least five city/provincial branches, each with at least 1,000 registered members.

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