Ha Tae-kyung: "Yoon's New Party Formation Rumors? If You Quit After Losing, It Becomes a 'Loser Party'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Ha Tae-kyung, a member of the People Power Party, criticized lawyer Shin Pyeong, known as "President Yoon Seok-yeol's mentor," regarding the speculation about "President Yoon forming a new party after leaving the party," saying, "Leaving just because you lost is pathetic."

On the 7th, Ha said on MBC's "Kim Jong-bae's Focus" program, "If you leave the party because you lost and create a new party, that is a loser party."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, lawyer Shin sparked controversy by predicting on his social media that if candidate Ahn Cheol-soo wins, President Yoon Seok-yeol might leave the party and establish a new one. The reasoning was that if presidential candidate Ahn wins, President Yoon would face a "lame duck" period, making it inevitable to leave the party.

Although this implies a kind of political realignment, Ha predicted that even if President Yoon leaves the party, his influence would not be significant, saying, "Loser parties formed after losing continue to lose." Ha himself left the party during the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye to join the Bareun Party, then left again from the Bareunmirae Party, which was formed by the merger of the Bareun Party and the People's Party, to create the New Conservative Party, which eventually merged with the United Future Party. This can be seen as advice from someone with experience.

Despite conflicts with the presidential office, candidate Ahn still ranks first in polls within the party's support base. The presence of candidate Kim Ki-hyun, who is considered to have "Yoon's heart (Yunsim)," is weakening. Ha said, "Until recently, it was Na Kyung-won's time, and now it is Ahn Cheol-soo's time," adding, "I only see candidate Ahn as the party leader candidate."

He also said, "If President Yoon steps in directly, only President Yoon and candidate Ahn will be visible," and questioned, "Who is currently leading and encouraging an election that makes only candidate Ahn visible?" This is a criticism that the presidential office's emphasis on "Yunsim" is actually raising candidate Ahn's value.