[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] On the 21st, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, proposed a meeting to Yoo Seung-min, chairman of the Conservative Rebuilding Committee of the New Conservative Party, to discuss integration, but Chairman Yoo did not accept it.
On the same night, Representative Yoo issued a press release stating, "Today, Leader Hwang proposed a breakfast meeting to me through lawmakers from both parties," and added, "Since the consultation between the two parties is just beginning, I conveyed my intention that it would be better to meet at an appropriate time after some progress has been made in the discussions between the two parties."
It appears that Leader Hwang hurriedly proposed the meeting before the Lunar New Year holiday for the practical heads of the two parties to meet and finalize the broad framework of conservative integration. However, Chairman Yoo expressed that it was premature, effectively causing the pre-holiday meeting to fall through.
Chairman Yoo's postponement of Leader Hwang's proposal seems to emphasize that the integration discussions between the two parties have just begun. It can also be interpreted as indicating that negotiations surrounding conservative integration are not yet mature. On the other hand, it can be seen as a call to accelerate concrete negotiations between the two parties.
The Liberty Korea Party and the New Conservative Party have been maintaining behind-the-scenes contacts and agreed the day before to form an official consultative body for integration. From that day, they have started practical discussions such as merger for the establishment of a new party.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
