Hong Jun-pyo followed by Jeong Tae-ok... "I will definitely return to the party alive"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Jeong Tae-ok, a member of the Future United Party who was excluded from the Daegu Buk-gu Gap nomination, announced on the 18th that he would run as an independent candidate.

On the same day, Jeong held a press conference at the Daegu City Party Office of the Future United Party and stated, "I will definitely survive and return to the party."

He said, "I devoted myself wholeheartedly as a spokesperson and deputy chairman of the policy committee for the party, and fought with all my might to protect conservative and liberal democratic values to the extent of being formally indicted during the fast-track confrontation process," adding, "Party nomination committee ignored the party constitution and regulations and imposed a Seoul TK (Daegu-Gyeongbuk) figure with no local ties, causing party members and residents to express their outrage." The nomination committee selected Yang Geum-hee, president of the Korea Women Voters Federation, as the sole candidate for Daegu Buk-gu Gap on the 6th, cutting off the incumbent Jeong.

However, regarding the possibility of an independent coalition, Jeong said, "I am not trying to oppose the party but to oppose the wrongful nomination," and added, "It is not good to appear to be in conflict with the party."

With this, Jeong became the second incumbent Daegu lawmaker to run as an independent. On the 13th, Gwak Dae-hoon, a lawmaker from Daegu Dalseo Gap, declared his independent candidacy, and former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo officially announced his departure from the party and independent run on the 17th, saying, "I intend to leave the party temporarily and go into the wilderness."

As independent candidacies continue in the TK region, where the Future United Party has strong support, concerns about vote splitting are rising within the party. Former nomination committee chairman Kim Hyung-oh also warned in a statement on the morning of the same day, "Leaving the party and running as an independent only hands victory to the ruling party and regime," emphasizing, "We must unite as one to rise up and judge the regime."