Yang Hyang-ja "Talked about nominations with Lee Jun-seok... 100% possibility of third zone alliance"

"Power Shifts? Not a Hastily Formed Election Party"
Lee Nak-yeon Keeps Door Open for Alliance with New Party

Yang Hyang-ja, the representative of Hanguk-ui Huimang, answered that the establishment of a 'third zone big tent' with Lee Nak-yeon, Lee Jun-seok, and Geum Tae-seop's new parties is "100% possible."

In an interview on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 10th, Representative Yang said, "Hanguk-ui Huimang has spent the past four years contemplating to create a party centered on new values, agendas, and future-oriented values more than any other force," adding, "Many people who attended my book launch yesterday seemed surprised at how much preparation we had done." Yang added, "Responding to the public's desire that politics cannot continue as it is, and with Hanguk-ui Huimang, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the Reform New Party's Policy Committee, and others who meet that desire gathering in one place, I see a 100% possibility that the aspirations of these four will be combined into one bowl."

The day before, key figures of the third zone, including former leader Lee Nak-yeon, Chairman Lee Jun-seok, and Geum Tae-seop, co-representative of Saeroun Seontaek (New Choice), attended Representative Yang's book launch. At the event, Chairman Lee Jun-seok hinted at the possibility of alliance by stating about Hanguk-ui Huimang, "I affirm that we have gone beyond the qualification of comrades who can dream the same dream based solely on our shared science and technology and future homogeneity."

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok (from right), Hope of Korea leader Yang Hyang-ja, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, and New Choice co-leader Geum Tae-seop are performing the national ceremony at Yang's book launch event held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 9th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Representative Yang said there is a high possibility of value-based alliance with Chairman Lee's Reform New Party. He said, "We are aiming to move together toward value alliance and vision alliance," adding, "He is the only person who has thoroughly visited the Hanguk-ui Huimang website, studied, and contemplated our policies and the Seoul Colloquium curriculum of our political school." He also said, "Since jobs created in new industries are welfare and the future of youth, our general election strategy is about 'which talents to place in the 15 advanced belts nationwide,'" adding, "I explained this to Chairman Lee Jun-seok, and we are discussing nominating talents that fit this strategy."

He also left open the possibility of alliance with Lee Nak-yeon's new party. Representative Yang said, "I believe that former leader Lee has also done a lot of thinking and preparation regarding national governance while preparing for the presidential election," adding, "It is only natural to form an alliance based on such agendas, visions, and values." He continued, "It is heartbreaking that even former leader Lee, a valuable asset of the Democratic Party, has to leave the party," and said, "Looking at Lee's situation, it seems to indicate that the Democratic Party has solidified itself as a fandom politics, a bulletproof party, and has moved far away from the Democratic Party of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun to a point where it cannot return."

Regarding the critical view that the third zone big tent is a coalition of forces through mergers and splits, he said, "The characteristic of parties defined by past failures is that they set values and visions but eventually kneel to forces," adding, "Please look at which party is not a hastily formed party before elections but one that matures policies for about 10 years, studies again according to Korea's situation, and prepares to govern the country." He added, "We will also continue to hold such occasions to explain to the public with values and agendas."