[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] As centrist youth parties that joined the United Future Party raised concerns over the possibility of unification with far-right forces following former President Park Geun-hye's prison letter, they expressed their apprehension.
Jo Seong-eun, leader of Brand New Party, and Cheon Ha-ram, leader of Young Conservatives, held a press conference at the National Assembly Press Hall on the 5th to announce their position on this matter.
Leader Jo stated, "I understand former President Park's prison letter as a gentle warning not to mislead the citizens who supported and sympathized with her, and not to use it for harmful inflammatory politics," emphasizing, "I hope the United Future Party does not make a misjudgment."
Jo added, "The sporadic messages from members of the United Future Party regarding this issue place me and the New Party, symbolizing centrism and youth, at a crossroads," expressing concern over the possibility of unification with parties such as the Liberty Republican Party and the Pro-Park New Party.
He continued, "I understand that (former President Park) wrote the letter knowing all the news about cutoffs and party formations. I interpret it as a gentle but firm support for the decisions and reforms of Kim Hyung-o, the chairman of the party's nomination committee," stressing, "We must not stop moving forward after crossing the river of impeachment and reversing the wrong history."
Leader Jo urged, "Do not become distant from the public and make foolish choices that are extreme and isolated."
Leader Cheon Ha-ram also said, "The newly launched United Future Party must keep far from extremist forces," adding, "Former President Park's letter calls on a small number of extremist forces to restrain themselves and for all patriotic conservative citizens to unite around the United Future Party, which aims for a rational centrist conservatism."
Cheon emphasized, "If the former president's intentions are misunderstood and the party goes in the wrong direction, it will be tantamount to handing this general election over to the Democratic Party of Korea on a silver platter," urging, "The United Future Party must shed its reactionary mindset and adopt a common-sense social and historical awareness."
Running for election in Suncheon, Jeonnam, in this April general election, Leader Cheon added, "Young conservatives will be an internal venture group within the party that does not hold back from speaking harsh truths when the United Future Party tries to take an irrational and wrong path," and "We will do our best to make the United Future Party a healthy conservative party that is also chosen in Honam."
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