Park Hyung-jun "Ahn Cheol-soo faction lawmakers hope to join integration... Ahn Cheol-soo's participation remains to be seen"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Park Hyung-jun, chairman of the Innovation and Integration Promotion Committee (IIPC) leading the integration of centrist conservatives, stated that "there are members of the Ahn Cheol-soo faction who wish to participate in the integration." However, he was reserved about former Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo's participation, saying it needs to be observed a bit longer.

On the 28th, on BBS Radio's 'Lee Sang-hwi's Morning Channel,' Park was asked about the possibility of key figures from the Ahn Cheol-soo faction joining the IIPC, to which he replied, "There is a high possibility that some individuals will decide to participate."

He said, "Among those who worked with former lawmaker Ahn in politics, a considerable number hope to participate," adding, "We are exploring this and making requests. We will continue to expand."

However, he was reserved about the possibility of former lawmaker Ahn's participation. Park said, "At the moment, he is drawing a line, so meeting now would not be of much help to either side," and added, "It is difficult to gauge the possibility of joining, and I think it is necessary to observe for about ten days."

He also emphasized that former lawmaker Ahn could play a symbolic role in conservative integration. Park said, "Integration cannot be perfect, but some political force must serve as a focal point to judge this administration, and many citizens who want to judge the administration are reluctant to support the existing conservative opposition," adding, "It is very important to provide those people with an opportunity and justification to make a new choice. It is not about Ahn personally, but about the will to expand that he symbolizes."

He continued, "Only the question of the scope of integration remains, but the train toward the integrated new party has already departed," adding, "If things proceed smoothly, by mid-next month, a new integrated party symbolizing centrists and conservatives will see the light of day."

Regarding major obstacles to integration, he pointed to a culture of insisting only on one's own claims. Park said, "Previously, on the left, there was a culture of thinking only my claim is right and stigmatizing and criticizing if it does not match my thoughts, but I realized that such things also exist considerably on the right," explaining, "What is most important and urgent now is to determine what the most important and urgent task is. The important task is to set the country right, and the urgent task is the general election. Whether right-wing or center-right, the highest priority is to judge the administration through the general election and correct the constitutional order that is shaking and the country going in the wrong direction."

Regarding the idea of moving toward an integrated election committee system rather than a merger, he said, "The IIPC has never discussed solving this issue through an election committee or election alliance tactics," adding, "Our consistent goal is to create an integrated new party, and that integrated new party is to acquire political symbolism encompassing centrists and conservatives."

He emphasized that public sentiment is also leaning toward integration. He said, "I received public sentiment that the public was surprised by the regime's interference with prosecution and obstruction of investigations," adding, "It was also confirmed that the public sentiment desiring integration to judge this regime was quite overwhelming among conservative and centrist citizens."

Regarding recent polls showing that the support rate for the integrated new party might be lower than that of the Korean Party, he said, "That poll is quite an outlier," adding, "It is a result that contradicts other surveys. For example, according to a KBS survey, the proportion of conservatives and centrists who think integration is necessary is overwhelmingly high at 73% and 60%, respectively, and an overwhelming majority of conservatives and centrists support integration."

On the criticism that the Democratic Party and the Korean Party differ in their general election preparations, he said, "Looking at past general elections, it is natural that opposition party nominations are later than ruling party nominations," emphasizing, "What is important is how much we can carry out nominations that embody the spirit of integration and satisfy the public, and how much we can make winning nominations."