Hong Jun-pyo, Claiming the 'Conservative Legitimate Succession,' and the Political Science Behind the 'President's Photo' [Politics, That Day...]

In November 2017, Photos of Former Presidents Lee Seungman, Park Chunghee, and Kim Youngsam Hung at Liberty Korea Party Headquarters
'Fathers of Nation Founding, National Modernization, and Democratization'... Conservative Party Direction Conveyed Through Presidential Photos

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min]

Editor's Note‘Politics, 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.

Hong Joon-pyo, Leader of the Liberty Korea Party / Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@asiae.co.kr

“Our party is the main party that has inherited the legitimate succession of the conservative right-wing….” On November 13, 2017, Hong Joon-pyo, then leader of the Liberty Korea Party, said this at the Supreme Council meeting. To understand why Hong used the expression ‘legitimate succession of the conservative right-wing,’ it is necessary to understand the political situation at that time.

2017 was a year of shock for the Liberty Korea Party. Following the National Assembly’s approval of the impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye in December 2016, the Constitutional Court’s impeachment ruling in March 2017 made an ‘early presidential election’ a reality. Although Hong himself ran as a presidential candidate, public sentiment had already turned away.

In the May 2017 presidential election, the Liberty Korea Party suffered a devastating defeat, leading to a situation that threatened its existence. Half a year after the election, the shockwaves had not disappeared.

November 13, 2017, was also the day when another conservative party, the Bareun Party, held its party convention and elected Yoo Seung-min as the new leader. Yoo, then leader, declared, “We will uphold the founding spirit, meaning, and values of reform conservatism.”

Independent lawmaker Hong Joon-pyo is attending the Future Innovation Forum held at the National Assembly on June 9 last year, delivering a greeting./Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

At that time, the conservative parties were split into two. While the Bareun Party advocated reform conservatism, the Liberty Korea Party claimed the legitimate succession of the conservative right-wing. Politics is a process of tempering.

The words and actions of politicians are politics itself. Politician Hong Joon-pyo’s assertion of the legitimate succession of the conservative right-wing on November 13, 2017, was an expression symbolizing the party’s direction. Facing President Moon Jae-in and the Democratic Party, whose approval ratings were soaring, the Liberty Korea Party emphasized its roots and began reorganizing.

Hong used ‘presidential photos’ as a means to express his will. Political parties hang photos of former presidents at their headquarters as needed. Usually, they display presidents from their own party. The problem lies in the dynamic nature of Korean politics, where party names change frequently.

When various political forces merge, suffer the pain of splits, and form parties again repeatedly, confusion about the so-called ‘roots’ can arise. The photos of presidents displayed by a party symbolize which political forces and which government the party succeeds.

Hong stated, “We will hang photos of President Syngman Rhee, a symbol of the founding era; President Park Chung-hee, a symbol of the modernization era of the homeland; and President Kim Young-sam, a symbol of the democratization era, at the party headquarters.” This clearly indicated that the party succeeded the Liberal Party, the Republican Party, and the New Korea Party.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At that time, there was interest in why only three presidents’ photos were displayed. In particular, the exclusion of former President Park Geun-hye’s photo while including former President Park Chung-hee’s photo led to various interpretations.

Hong expressed his determination to lead the fight against the ruling party by saying, “Our party and our conservative right-wing forces must unite to stop this reckless political revenge.” This message also served to check the Bareun Party, which advocated reform conservatism at the time.

Thus, in 2017, the Liberty Korea Party sought a way forward by clarifying its conservative identity. Four years later, the People Power Party, which inherited the roots of the conservative party, is preparing for a new leadership restructuring.

It is also of interest how the new party leader will shape the People Power Party’s identity and political line. Observing which presidents’ photos the new leader of the People Power Party will display at the party headquarters is expected to be an intriguing point of observation.