Lee Jae-myung's 'Rightward Shift'... Will It Shake the Progressive Unified Candidate Race in the Presidential Election?

The 'rightward shift' of Lee Jae-myung, the former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and a leading presidential candidate, continues, raising the prospect of a unified progressive party candidate. Attention is focused on whether he can shake up the presidential race like Lee Jung-hee, the former leader of the Unified Progressive Party.

Former Unified Progressive Party leader Lee Jung-hee. Photo by Asia Economy DB

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On the 10th, Yoon Jong-oh, floor leader of the Progressive Party, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "This election requires the parties that participated in the Roundtable Meeting for Ending the Civil War to join forces," adding, "It is regrettable that the parties are scattered despite having little difference among them. We have emphasized a grand coalition of progressive parties, but there are still lingering resentments." Since the Democratic Labor Party, progressive parties have experienced splits due to factional conflicts between the Juche-oriented faction (NL) and the People's Democracy faction (PD). They merged into the Unified Progressive Party in 2011 but split again following the proportional representation election fraud scandal.

Currently, in the Progressive Party, Standing Representative Kim Jae-yeon and former National Assembly member Kang Sung-hee have declared their presidential bids. Although there is currently a difference in enthusiasm for an electoral alliance between the two, it is highly likely that they will eventually unify as a progressive party candidate. Standing Representative Kim said, "To move toward a stronger democracy and a new Republic of Korea, the coalition of democratic constitutional protection forces must continue," while former Assembly member Kang stated, "I will open the era of progressivism and pave the way for self-reliant governance."

For progressive parties with a small presence in the National Assembly, electoral alliances are a given. According to the current Public Official Election Act, candidates invited to presidential TV debates must be from parties holding at least five seats in the National Assembly or parties that received more than 3% of the vote in the last presidential, general, or local elections. The parties meeting these criteria are the Democratic Party of Korea, People Power Party, Party for National Innovation, Reform New Party, and Justice Party.

From the Justice Party, which is an extra-parliamentary party, Representative Kwon Young-guk is preparing to run. On the 11th, the Justice Party, Labor Party, Green Party, and labor organizations launched a joint response organization and plan to begin internal primary registrations on the 12th. A Justice Party official said regarding the progressive party coalition, "It is not yet the stage for us to speak alone about what we will do," adding, "We need to observe the situation and discuss later." The Social Democratic Party and Basic Income Party are deliberating whether to field solo or coalition candidates.

Previously, in the 2012 18th presidential election TV debate, former Representative Lee said, "Takaki Masao, who wrote a loyalty blood oath and became a Japanese army officer. His Korean name is Park Chung-hee. He seized power through a military coup and pushed through the Korea-Japan agreement," adding, "You only need to remember this. I will definitely defeat candidate Park Geun-hye," creating a sensation as the 'Park Geun-hye sniper.'

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