Son Hak-kyu: "Ahn Cheol-soo faction engages in 'old-fashioned politics' to retain parliamentary seats... Self-resignation is illegal"

Regarding the Integration of Bareunmirae, Daean, and Pyeonghwa: "Honam Party, That's Exactly the Problem"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Sohn Hak-kyu, leader of the Bareunmirae Party, criticized on the 19th regarding the 'self-expulsion' of proportional representation members belonging to the party, saying, "Many of the self-expelled members have already left the party and officially hold positions in the Ahn Cheol-soo faction's new party," and added, "If they want to leave the party, they should do so honorably by resigning from the party; trying to maintain their parliamentary seats and the privileges that come with them will not gain the consent of the people."

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Leader Sohn said, "Self-expulsion is illegal, and the change of party affiliation by the relevant members is fundamentally invalid," and added, "The party has requested an interpretation from the Central Election Commission and has notified the National Assembly of this fact."

Addressing Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the People's Party, Sohn said, "In 2018, when the People's Party and the Bareun Party merged, Ahn demanded the expulsion of proportional representation members who requested expulsion, stating, 'The people voted for the party and elected them, so they are the party's assets; if they want to leave, they should resign from the party,'" and criticized, "How can a political force that does not even uphold its own principles become an alternative for the people? This behavior is no different from old-fashioned politics."

After the Supreme Council meeting that day, Sohn told reporters about the three-party merger of the Bareunmirae Party, the Alternative New Party, and the Party for Democracy and Peace, "A Honam party, that's exactly the problem," and said, "We are not trying to become a regional party now, nor are we trying to return to old-fashioned politics. We will discuss this further."