Conservative Unification Ultimately as 'Mirae Tonghapdang'... Eyes on the Election Committee Appointments

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Future United Party, a centrist-conservative unified new party, will hold a joint meeting of authorized organizations to finalize the integration process. Although there are last-minute adjustments to be made regarding the Public Official Recommendation Committee and the leadership, the conservative unification process is coming to a close, marking the beginning of full-scale 'general election mode.' Attention is focused on the appointment of the election committee as the unified new party maintains the leadership of Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn.

The Liberty Korea Party, the New Conservative Party, and Forward for Future 4.0, which are participating in the Future United Party, will hold a joint meeting of authorized organizations on the afternoon of the 14th to discuss detailed integration matters. From the Korea Party, Floor Leader Shim Jae-cheol and lawmakers Song Eon-seok and Kim Sang-hoon will participate; from the New Conservative Party, co-chairs Oh Shin-hwan, Ji Sang-wook, and Jung Woon-cheon will attend; and from the Forward Party, Supreme Council members Lee Jong-hyuk, Yang Ju-sang, and Lee A-ram will be present.

After refining and documenting the agreements made at the morning meeting of the Unified New Party Preparatory Committee (Tongjunwi), each party’s authorized organization will sign the documents and submit them to the National Election Commission, completing the merger procedure. The Future United Party is expected to launch as early as the 16th, or at the latest by the 17th.

However, a final task remains to narrow differences over how much to increase the number of members in the Public Official Recommendation Committee. The New Conservative Party advocates maintaining the current Kim Hyung-o committee, while the Korea Party and Forward Party propose reinforcing the existing framework.

The leadership of the unified new party will also be expanded and reorganized by adding 2 to 4 members centered around the Korea Party leadership. Regarding this, Yoo Ui-dong, the responsible representative of the New Conservative Party, said, "There are many shortcomings compared to our expectations," but added, "Due to the greater cause of conservative unification, we had to consider some practical realities. We will strive to fill the leadership ranks with genuine reform conservatives."

As the Future United Party moves forward by maintaining and expanding the existing Korea Party framework, attention is also focused on the composition of the election committee. This is why eyes are on Yoo Seung-min, chairman of the New Conservative Party’s Conservative Reconstruction Committee, who declared he would not run and supported the merger. Within the Korea Party, voices are emerging that Yoo should either run in a difficult district or serve as the election committee chairman, and similar opinions are being raised within the New Conservative Party.

On the 13th, New Conservative Party lawmaker Jung Byung-guk appeared on KBS Radio’s "Kim Kyung-rae’s Strongest Current Affairs," emphasizing the role Yoo could play: "It is meaningful to take charge in a difficult district, and it is also meaningful to freely become the election committee chairman and support nationwide efforts." However, Yoo himself drew a line on this, stating, "There has been no discussion about personnel yet."