Conservative Unification 'Like a Candle in the Wind'... SaeBosu Party's 'Final Ultimatum'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kim Hye-min] The centrist-conservative unification led by the Innovation Integration Promotion Committee (IIPC) is in a "candle in the wind" situation. On the 20th, Ha Tae-kyung, the responsible representative of the New Conservative Party, stated that if the Liberty Korea Party does not officially agree to form a consultative body for 'party-to-party' unification within the day, they will suspend unification negotiations. Jisang-wook, an IIPC member, resigned after his resignation as IIPC chairman was not accepted. There are also disturbances within the Korea Party and Uri Korea Party.

At the New Conservative Party leadership meeting held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building that day, Representative Ha said in his opening remarks, "The Korea Party's refusal to form a consultative body while insisting on unification is not genuine unification but fake unification." He added, "The New Conservative Party requested a two-party unification consultative body with the Korea Party for conservative innovation and reconstruction capable of judging the Moon administration, but the Korea Party is not responding to the dialogue between the two parties," emphasizing, "This goes against the principle of 'tearing down the old house and building a new one,' one of the three principles of conservative reconstruction agreed upon by Representative Hwang Kyo-ahn."

He came out during the leadership meeting to meet reporters and said, "If the Korea Party does not express its willingness to accept the consultative body by today, I believe that dialogue with the Korea Party will be practically meaningless from tomorrow," adding, "If Representative Hwang does not give an official response directly, we will consider it a rejection." However, Representative Hwang avoided a definite answer, saying, "We will join forces with the free citizen camp to stop the Moon administration's tyranny," and "We will find ways to consult through the IIPC process or other necessary methods."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Jisang-wook, co-representative of the New Conservative Party, resigned from his position as an IIPC member that morning, causing turmoil within the IIPC system. He resigned in protest after his demand for the resignation of IIPC Chairman Park Hyung-joon was not accepted. Jeong Un-cheon, a New Conservative Party lawmaker who is the only participant representing the New Conservative Party in the IIPC, explained, "The reason for Representative Ji's resignation is that his demand for Chairman Park's resignation at the 4th meeting was not well received," and added, "We will select a replacement through the co-leadership meeting to attend." Chairman Park appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that morning regarding the New Conservative Party's party-to-party consultative body, warning, "The unification train has already departed, so those who get off the train will be seriously injured," a kind of cautionary remark.

Within the Korea Party, negative voices against unification still arise, mainly among pro-Park Geun-hye lawmakers. Jeong Jong-seop, who declared he would not run again among Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK) lawmakers the day before, expressed a negative view on unification, saying, "Those who led the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye and those responsible for factional conflicts should all not run again."

The Uri Party, which Representative Hwang mentioned as a unification target, is also divided due to internal conflicts among co-representatives. Co-representatives Jo Won-jin and Hong Moon-jong have decided to hold a separate Taegeukgi rally this weekend. The two representatives conflicted over unification views, and recently, party members filed a complaint against Representative Hong to the party's Central Ethics Committee for publicly criticizing Representative Jo. Representative Hong is reportedly planning to abstain from future party supreme council meetings and other processes.