Geum Tae-seop, former lawmaker leading the third zone new party 'New Choice,' predicted that if the third zone new parties fail to play a role, the Democratic Party of Korea will take the lead in next year's general election.
On the 4th, former lawmaker Geum said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that "the People Power Party was almost wiped out in the metropolitan area in the last 21st general election, suffered a crushing defeat in the 20th election, and lost in the 19th election as well, so their human resources are actually very weak."
He said, "The metropolitan area elections were structured so that the Democratic Party and the People Power Party competed closely and the outcome was decided, but if we continue like this and our new party or others do not play a role, the Democratic Party will likely take a significant lead in the election." He forecasted that the People Power Party would show weakness in next year's general election, and if the third zone fails to play a role, the Democratic Party will have the upper hand.
Regarding this, former People Power Party lawmaker Oh Shin-hwan said on YTN's 'The News,' "Public opinion, especially in Seoul and the metropolitan area, is not very favorable." He added, "Next year's general election seems likely to be an election where the two-party system of the Democratic Party and the People Power Party will clash more fiercely."
About the role of the third zone, he said, "Whether former lawmakers Geum Tae-seop or Yang Hyang-ja, with their recognition and various political capabilities, can truly lead a party and generate enough impact to gain the trust of the people is questionable," expressing a low evaluation.
Democratic Party lawmaker Jang Kyung-tae also said, "For a third zone party to succeed, it must not withdraw. It should not unify or merge." He pointed out, "Former lawmaker Geum is also from the Democratic Party, but before that, he was a member of Ahn Cheol-soo's presidential campaign, and therefore, as part of the integration process of the Democratic Party, he became a lawmaker of the Democratic Party after the launch of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy."
He continued, "I will not disparage the idea of telling the public that a third party is being formed and misleading them, but the results keep flowing toward unification and merger, don't they?" He added, "I am not sure what the policies and direction of the third zone are, but it would be better to fill in the substantive aspects well before talking about the success of the third zone."
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