[Inside Chodong] There Is a Jinx Even in Political Party Names

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] Political parties in the United States far exceed a century of history. The U.S. Republican Party was founded in 1854 and boasts a history of 166 years. The U.S. Democratic Party, founded in 1828, will celebrate its 200th anniversary in eight years. Despite the turbulent waves of American politics, the positions of the Republican and Democratic parties have remained steadfast.

In contrast, South Korean political parties change their names so frequently that even political experts get confused. The formation of new parties, mergers, splits, and reestablishments (party name revisions) have created a whirlwind of chaos. Every time a new party (either through founding or renaming) prepares to launch, the political scene in Yeouido stirs.

Finding a good name is considered the most important task. Those with extensive political experience in Yeouido, as well as naming experts and public opinion analysts, are consulted to find the best answer. Public contests are a basic element for generating interest.

On the 10th, under clear autumn weather, fluffy clouds floated gently in the sky beyond the National Assembly Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

When looking at the history of South Korean party naming, regardless of progressives or conservatives, if one were to pick the most frequently used word, it would be "Tonghap" (Integration).

Especially during important upcoming elections, parties including the word "Tonghap" appear as if by promise. The basic scenario is to emphasize that various political forces have united as one and appeal for support. Interestingly, most parties that used the word "Tonghap" did not end well.

The Democratic Party of Korea has a "bad relationship" with the word "Tonghap." The opposing party in the 2007 presidential election, which ended with Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party's landslide victory, was the Daetonghap Minju Shindang (Great Unified Democratic New Party) with presidential candidate Chung Dong-young.

After consecutive nationwide election defeats, the Uri Party, which was in crisis, dissolved into history in August 2007 by joining a new party. Although the party combined plausible words such as "Daetonghap" (Great Integration), "Minju" (Democratic), and "Shindang" (New Party) and inherited the status of the largest party in the National Assembly, the voters' response was underwhelming.

The Daetonghap Minju Shindang faced the aftermath of the presidential election defeat and was destined to disappear within six months. In February 2008, the Daetonghap Minju Shindang (led by Sohn Hak-kyu) and the Minju Party (led by Park Sang-cheon) declared a merger under the name Tonghap Minjudang (United Democratic Party). They inherited the word "Tonghap" and faced the 18th general election, but the result was a record defeat. Only 7 out of 48 constituencies in Seoul were won.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Ahead of the 19th general election in 2012, the card of founding a new party was pulled out again. In December 2011, the Minju Party, Citizens' Integration Party, and labor groups (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) declared the founding of the Minju Tonghapdang (Democratic United Party). They tried hard to justify and legitimize the founding, but from the voters' perspective, it was just a party with the words "Tonghap" and "Minju" reversed from the 18th general election. The Minju Tonghapdang tasted bitterness in the 19th general election.

Bitter memories surrounding the name "Tonghap" also exist in the history of progressive parties. Progressive political forces dreamed of a comeback by founding the Tonghap Jinbodang (Unified Progressive Party) in December 2011, but the results were different from expectations. It only exposed conflicts and divisions within progressive politics, and in December 2014, during the Park Geun-hye administration, it was forcibly dissolved for the first time in constitutional history.

Conservative parties also added painful memories related to "Tonghap." Ahead of the 21st general election, the Mirae Tonghapdang (United Future Party), founded in February this year, created another "dark history." Although it launched a united party by bringing together various political forces, it produced the worst results in the history of conservative parties in general elections and disappeared seven months later. Was the word "Tonghap" itself the problem?

Uniting the people to design a better future is a role that parties pursuing "governing party" status should rightfully fulfill. The problem is that putting the word "Tonghap" in the party name does not solve the issue. Repeated political performances before elections and shallow tricks to deceive the public only lead to another dark history, far from the dream of a century-old party.