Hwang Kyo-ahn and Yoo Seung-min Weekend Meeting Possible... Will the New Conservative Party Board the Last Train of Integration?

Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, is holding a press conference on the 7th at the Yeongdeungpo party headquarters in Seoul to announce his candidacy for the Jongno district in the April 15 general election. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Yoo Seung-min, chairman of the Conservative Reconstruction Committee of the New Conservative Party, proposed a meeting to Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Liberty Korea Party, drawing attention to whether the New Conservative Party, which had so far held back from founding a unified new party, will board the unification train. However, since there is still a significant difference in perception between the two parties and their leaders regarding conservative unification, it remains uncertain whether an agreement will be reached even if the meeting takes place.

According to political circles on the 8th, Chairman Yoo proposed a meeting to Leader Hwang on the 6th, and Leader Hwang expressed his willingness to meet. On the 7th, after declaring his candidacy for Jongno at the Yeongdeungpo party headquarters, Leader Hwang told reporters, "A preparatory committee for a unified new party has been formed by forces that respect the constitutional values of liberal democracy and market economy. If we come together there, there will be a way," he said.

While the New Conservative Party and the Liberty Korea Party are pushing for party-to-party unification, Leader Hwang and Chairman Yoo have been trying to meet since before the Lunar New Year holiday, but the meetings were repeatedly postponed. The meeting, which was expected to take place on the 4th or 5th, was also canceled, raising concerns that the grand unification between the two parties might fall apart at the last minute. Within the New Conservative Party, there was also a proposal for only some members who favor unification to join separately, prompting Ha Tae-kyung, co-representative of the New Conservative Party, to raise his voice, saying, "The New Conservative Party is one."

With the possibility of a weekend meeting between Leader Hwang and Chairman Yoo increasing, unification is expected to gain momentum. Although the preparatory committee for the unified new party was launched on the 6th, the New Conservative Party side had not appointed a unification chairman and had not actively participated in unification discussions. In this regard, on the 7th, Lee Eon-ju, co-chair of the preparatory committee for the unified new party and leader of the Forward to the Future 4.0 Party, expressed regret, saying, "Chairman Yoo seems to be wavering without clearly stating his position on unification," urging Chairman Yoo to make a decision.

However, there are still hurdles to overcome, such as differing perceptions between the two leaders regarding the scope of conservative unification. Leader Hwang has expressed openness to discussing unification with the so-called 'Taegukgi forces,' including the Our Republican Party, whereas Chairman Yoo has stated that he would not proceed with unification if they join, citing that it does not align with the three principles of innovative unification he proposed.

Meanwhile, on the 7th, Leader Hwang held a press conference at the Yeouido party headquarters and declared his candidacy for Jongno, saying, "I will become a seed to judge the incompetent and corrupt regime. I will be the spark for innovation and unification." Having declared his intention to run in a difficult district in the metropolitan area since last month, Leader Hwang’s final decision to run in Jongno is expected to restore the shaken leadership within the party and enable him to have a stronger voice in unification talks with the New Conservative Party. At the press conference, he said, "I could not help but consider whether my actions could help unification," indicating that the unification discussions partly influenced his decision.