Third Zone Agrees on 'Big Tent' Merger... Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok as Co-Presidents (Comprehensive)

Four political forces from the third zone, emerging from the two major parties of the ruling and opposition, will merge and contest the April 10 general election under a single 'Big Tent' party.

The Reform New Party, New Future, New Choice, and Principles and Common Sense held a joint press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the afternoon of the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 9th, and announced a sudden agreement on the merger plan for the unified new party. The party name will be Reform New Party, with a co-leadership system of Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok. The leadership body will be called the Supreme Council, with each of the four forces recommending one supreme council member.

New Future co-representative Lee Nak-yeon and Reform New Party representative Lee Jun-seok are moving to give Lunar New Year greetings at Yongsan Station in Seoul on the morning of the 9th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

The overall election campaign committee chairman, who will lead the general election, will be co-leader Lee Nak-yeon. The merger convention for the unified new party is scheduled to be held promptly after the holiday.

At the press conference announcing the agreement, Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the policy committee of the Reform New Party, Kim Jong-min, co-leader of New Future, Geum Tae-seop, leader of New Choice, and Lee Won-ok, member of Principles and Common Sense, were present.

They declared that they made a grand unification decision under the goal of judging the two major parties, the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea, in this general election and that a new political force must emerge, appealing for votes for the unified new party.

Chairman Kim explained the background of deciding to use the party name of the existing Reform New Party led by Lee Jun-seok, saying, "The reason the press conference announcing the agreement was repeatedly delayed was related to the party name decision," and added, "There was a generous concession and decision by co-leader Lee Nak-yeon of New Future."

Co-leader Kim also said, "It was a concession and decision made by Lee Nak-yeon at the end," and added, "The meaning of unification will not be diminished or shaken because of the party name."

Leader Geum said, "There were various discussions such as deciding the party name through public opinion polls or open recruitment," but added, "However, to hasten the already delayed unification, we decided to choose one from the existing names. We judged that the image of unity is more important than the party name."

Member Lee evaluated, "Initially, during the unification process between New Future and Principles and Common Sense, there was strong opposition from party members regarding naming the party 'Reform Future Party,' and New Future struggled with the party name decision," and added, "However, Leader Kim Jong-min made the initial decision, followed by a major decision by Lee Nak-yeon."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.