[Exclusive] Korean Party to Integrate with Saebosu through 100% National Public Opinion Survey for Candidate Nomination

On the 14th, Park Hyung-jun, Chairman of the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee, Kim Sang-hoon, member of the Liberty Korea Party, Lee Yang-soo, member of the Liberty Korea Party, Ji Sang-wook, member of the New Conservative Party, and Chung Woon-chun, member of the New Conservative Party, along with other attendees of the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee, are shouting "Fighting" before the start of the first meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The Liberty Korea Party has confirmed that it has decided to hold a 100% national public opinion poll primary to achieve conservative grand unification. Considering the relatively small number of members in the New Conservative Party, this plan aims to minimize the biggest obstacle to unification?the nomination controversy.

On the 14th, a member of the Liberty Korea Party’s general election planning team stated, "If we are to unify, everyone must be given the same conditions, and therefore, a 100% national public opinion poll primary is the only option," adding, "We cannot insist on existing party rules when attempting unification, and this has already been discussed internally within the party."

A Liberty Korea Party official said, "Since the party plans to cut off some incumbents, it will not be disadvantageous to the eight incumbents from the New Conservative Party," and added, "When incumbents compete with out-of-office chairpersons, the most certain method is a 100% national primary, which also has a clear justification. We understand that this party policy has been communicated to the New Conservative Party as well."

Currently, the Liberty Korea Party’s regulations stipulate that candidates for the National Assembly are selected through a primary consisting of 50% responsible party members and 50% national public opinion polls. Applying this rule as is would inevitably disadvantage the New Conservative Party, making a new rule for unification unavoidable. Therefore, it can be interpreted that the party intends to overcome the biggest hurdle of unification?the nomination rule dilemma?through a 100% national primary. Last year, the Liberty Korea Party announced plans to exclude 30% of district incumbents from nominations (cut-off) and to replace 50% of incumbents.

On the 13th, Ha Tae-kyung, the responsible representative of the New Conservative Party, held a press conference and announced that talks between the two parties for unification with the Liberty Korea Party would begin. He judged that Liberty Korea Party leader Hwang Kyo-ahn had accepted the three principles the New Conservative Party had demanded: "crossing the river of impeachment," "moving toward reform conservatism," and "demolishing the old house and building a new one."

The New Conservative Party has declared that if the Liberty Korea Party accepts these three principles, it will relinquish nomination rights. In political circles, there has been much speculation that the New Conservative Party secretly hopes for a 100% national public opinion poll primary system.

Meanwhile, the Liberty Korea Party is accelerating the selection of the nomination committee chairperson to transition into the general election system. The nomination committee recommendation committee has narrowed down the final candidates to three or four, and a decision is expected as early as this week. Former National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyung-o, former Democratic Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in, former Supreme Court Justice Ahn Dae-hee, and writer Lee Moon-yeol have been mentioned as strong candidates.

The ruling party, the Democratic Party of Korea, also moved swiftly by completing the formation of the nomination management committee on the 13th, chaired by Representative Won Hye-young, and held its first meeting the same day. External figures such as Ahn Jin-geol, director of the People's Livelihood Economy Research Institute, Shim Jae-myung, CEO of Myung Films, and professional Go player Lee Da-hye were named as committee members, attracting attention.

Separately from the nomination committee, the Democratic Party’s strategic nomination committee plans to decide on the first round of strategic nominations on the 15th. Do Jong-hwan, the strategic nomination committee chairperson, told Asia Economy in a phone interview, "We will first select strategic nomination districts among those where incumbents have vacated seats and then decide on candidates later," adding, "This general election aims to expand primaries as much as possible, so strategic nominations may fall below 20% of the total."