Ha Tae-kyung: "A Third Party Led by the Democratic Party May Emerge in the General Election"

Published 21 Feb.2023 08:52(KST)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, predicted that if the Democratic Party of Korea continues under the leadership of Lee Jae-myung and the People Power Party also fails to expand toward the center, a 'third party' could emerge in the general election.

On the 21st, Ha said on MBC's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" that "if more people come to dislike both parties, then a third party will probably emerge in the general election."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park Hong-geun, floor leader, members of the National Assembly, party committee chairpersons, and party members are shouting slogans at the "Condemnation Rally Against Prosecutorial Dictatorship of the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration" held on the stairs in front of the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 17th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

He added, "Our party might lose support, and the Democratic Party might also face disappointment. Our party could become a party that cannot function without Lee Jae-myung as the leader," and "there will probably be more members from the Democratic Party."

Regarding the arrest motion against Lee Jae-myung, Ha also predicted that there could be 35 dissenting votes from the Democratic Party. Even if the motion is rejected this time, if multiple arrest motions related to various charges continue to come to the National Assembly, the number of dissenting votes is expected to increase.

Ha said, "In fact, this arrest motion is neither the first nor the last," and "because it is a comprehensive set of crimes, this time it involves Seongnam FC and part of Daejang-dong, but there are also Baekhyeon-dong, Jeongja-dong, and the North Korea remittance and bribery cases. At least three or more new charges will lead to arrest motions, and the number of votes in favor of these motions will continue to increase."

He added, "From what I hear among Democratic Party lawmakers, if Lee Jae-myung's leadership is maintained and he exercises the nomination rights, at least 35 members will not go along. This is actually an open secret among the lawmakers."

On the same day, Park Ju-min, a Democratic Party lawmaker who appeared on MBC, predicted the rejection of the arrest warrant request for Lee, saying that the "content is lacking." In response, Ha said, "Politicians usually do not admit such things easily," and "after former President Park Geun-hye's guilty impeachment, even when the court ruled guilty, her supporters tried not to admit it for a similar reason: there was no direct evidence received." The ruling party expects that the 'third-party bribery charge' applied to former President Park will also be applied to Lee Jae-myung.