Geum Tae-seop Announces Goal to Secure 30 Seats... "We Must Change the Existing Political Framework with a New Party Grand Coalition"

17th Founding Convention Attended by Kim Jong-in, Lee Jun-seok, Yang Hyang-ja, and Others

Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, who announced the goal of securing 30 seats in next year's general election with the new third-party 'Saeroun Seontaek' (New Choice), said that an alliance of new parties is necessary to achieve this goal. He did not deny the possibility of an alliance with the 'Lee Nak-yeon new party' and the 'Lee Jun-seok new party,' leaving room for it.

Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

In an interview on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 18th, Geum revealed his plan to form a grand coalition of the third party centered around Saeroun Seontaek. He said, "At yesterday's founding convention, various figures from both camps gathered in one place, including Representative Yang Hyang-ja, former Representative Lee Jun-seok, Representative Lee Sang-min, former Representative Jeong Tae-geun, and former Representative Lee Nak-yeon, who sent a congratulatory message via video though he did not attend in person." He added, "It is probably the first time that so many people have gathered in one place just four months before the general election."

Saeroun Seontaek officially declared its challenge for next year's general election at the founding convention held the day before. Co-representative Jo Seong-ju and Representative Ryu Ho-jeong, both former members of the Justice Party's Third Power faction, recently left the Justice Party and joined the founding of Saeroun Seontaek. The event was attended by former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in, former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok, independent Representative Lee Sang-min, and Yang Hyang-ja, leader of Korea's Hope, raising expectations for the possibility of a 'big tent' in the third party.

Geum said, "We talked about 'being helpful,' 'joining forces,' and 'putting aside minor differences,'" explaining, "I believe that only by moving in that direction can we change the existing political framework and present new politics."

Regarding the form of the alliance, he said, "There could be various forms," leaving multiple possibilities open. He stated, "We might form a party and then ally, or it could be like the joint founding with those from the Justice Party's Third Power faction. We will try to show something as soon as possible."

On the possibility of an alliance with former leader Lee Jun-seok, he said, "I cannot confirm all the private meetings," but added, "The people who gathered yesterday meet and communicate much more frequently than the media knows," leaving room for possibility.

Meanwhile, regarding co-representative Jo Seong-ju and Representative Ryu Ho-jeong joining Saeroun Seontaek, Geum said, "If more people in the Justice Party think about fundamentally changing the framework of Korean politics, we can work together in some form."