[Politics, That Day...] Saenuri's Break with Blue, the 'Symbol of Conservatism,' and the 'Color Dilemma' Since Then

In February 2012, Choosing 'Red' Marked a Turning Point for Conservative Parties... Red → Pink → ?, Future United Party's Choice Also in Focus

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] ‘Politics, On That Day…’ is a series planning corner that looks back on Korean politics through the ‘recollection of memories’ related to notable scenes, events, and figures.

“Red symbolizes passion.” On February 7, 2012, Jo Dong-won, then head of public relations planning at the Saenuri Party, explained the party’s new symbolic color with these words. The Grand National Party changed its name to the Saenuri Party and replaced its symbolic color, which had been like a ‘symbol of conservatism.’

Blue was the color symbolizing conservative politics. While the Democratic Party preferred green, symbolizing former President Kim Dae-jung, and yellow, symbolizing former President Roh Moo-hyun, conservative parties mainly favored shades of blue.

Looking back at the history of conservative parties, the symbolic color remained blue even when the party names changed from the Democratic Liberal Party to the New Korea Party and then to the Grand National Party. However, the Saenuri Party’s choice was different. Choosing red came as a shock.

Experts explain that blue is more advantageous than red in terms of design usability. It means that promotional materials for the party can be more visually appealing. Traditionally, red was a color that conservatives kept their distance from.

Adopting such a color as the party’s symbol inevitably felt awkward. Although some within the Saenuri Party expressed regret and criticism over abandoning blue, the discord did not last long. February 2012 was just two months before the 19th general election, so there was no time to waste on internal conflicts.

Ultimately, Saenuri Party candidates ran their campaigns using red promotional materials instead of the familiar blue. In the end, the 2012 transformation was a success. The Saenuri Party won both the April general election and the December presidential election in 2012.

It is hard to say that choosing red was the driving force behind the victories, but it succeeded in creating the perception that the party had changed. However, many still question whether this radical transformation was the right choice.

After the choice in February 2012, conservative parties had to part ways with blue. The equation ‘conservative party = blue’ became a thing of the past. This was due to the Democratic Party’s choice. In September 2013, coinciding with the opening of its Yeouido headquarters, the Democratic Party adopted blue as its symbolic color.

The Democratic Party, which had mainly sought a compromise between green and yellow, adopting the conservative symbolic color was another shock. Some within the Democratic Party expressed resistance. Nostalgia for yellow, the symbol of former President Roh Moo-hyun, was also a cause of rejection toward blue.

Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, and Won Yoo-chul, leader of the Future Korea Party, along with candidates from both parties for the general election, attended the "Saving the Nation - Reviving the Economy" joint declaration ceremony held at the National Assembly on the 1st. After the event, they shouted "Fighting." Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

The Democratic Party has maintained blue as its symbolic color since adopting it in September 2013. The party has less concern about its symbolic color now. The results have not been bad. The Democratic Party achieved consecutive victories in four recent nationwide elections in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020.

Those who remember the Grand National Party era associate blue with conservative parties, but for the younger generation, the image of ‘blue = Democratic Party’ is strong.

The conservative party that embraced red in February 2012 kept red when the Saenuri Party changed its name to the Liberty Korea Party. However, ahead of the 21st general election in February this year, when the party renamed itself the United Future Party, it changed its symbolic color to Millennial Pink. The 21st general election, the first election fought under the Millennial Pink banner, ended in a crushing defeat for the conservative party.

The United Future Party is again considering changing its name and symbolic color. Millennial Pink is expected to exit after a short history. The party is caught in a ‘color dilemma.’ What color will the party adopt as its symbol? It is highly likely they will choose a color clearly distinct from pink. Since the Democratic Party has already claimed blue, it will be difficult for the conservative party to adopt blue, which was once its symbol.

What if the Saenuri Party had not abandoned blue in February 2012? The Democratic Party might never have transformed into a blue party, and the United Future Party might not be struggling with the symbolic color issue now.