Lee Won-wook: "We Will Create a Political Framework Like French President Macron in the Third Zone"

"Not a Casting Vote but a Single-Party Viable Party"
Big Tent Party Formation Plan to Capture the 'Third Zone' Before Lunar New Year
"Higher Chances of Success for the Third Zone Than Ever"

Members of the 'Principles and Common Sense' group, a non-Lee Jae-myung faction within the Democratic Party of Korea, are holding a press conference announcing their departure from the party at the National Assembly on the 10th. From left to right: Assemblymen Cho Eung-cheon, Lee Won-wook, and Kim Jong-min. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Independent lawmakers Lee Won-wook and Cho Eung-cheon, who left the Democratic Party and announced the founding of the Future Grand Alliance, said they plan to establish a 'third zone unified party' before Seol (Lunar New Year). The plan is to complete the creation of a 'third party' by around February 10, broadly encompassing the group of Democratic Party defectors including Lee Won-wook, Cho Eung-cheon, and Kim Jong-min, former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok, Yang Hyang-ja, leader of Hope of Korea, Geum Tae-seop, leader of New Choice, and former Justice Party lawmaker Park Won-seok. Specifically, they expressed the intention to create a centrist party symbolizing moderation, similar to French President Emmanuel Macron's party.

On the 15th, Representative Lee Won-wook appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "I want to show the public that such a party exists on their dining tables before Seollal." He specifically mentioned that the third zone party would be founded around "February 10." He elaborated, "The reason we named the party 'Future Grand Alliance' is that we aim to take the lead in bringing together former leaders Lee Jun-seok, Lee Nak-yeon, Yang Hyang-ja, Geum Tae-seop, and others into one party."

Representative Lee added, "I hope it becomes not just a simple casting vote party but a party of new future hope, potentially the number one party." He also mentioned President Macron, saying, "We want to make it possible as a new political framework like French President Macron's. If a chemical bond is formed during the presidential election process, I hope it will continue as a party together even after the election."

At the launch ceremony of the Future Grand Alliance (tentative name) Preparatory Committee held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 14th, joint promotion committee chairs Kim Jong-min (from left), Park Won-seok, Cho Eung-cheon, Lee Won-wook, and Jung Tae-geun are shouting slogans. (Photo by Yonhap News)

On the same day, Representative Cho appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' and, when asked about the possibility of unification with former leaders Lee Jun-seok and Lee Nak-yeon, said, "We are conducting practical behind-the-scenes negotiations and coordinating schedules," conveying the current atmosphere.

Representative Cho particularly emphasized, "Both major parties are tightly bound by vested interests like never before. The possibility of success for a third zone or third force is higher than ever." He added, "If you look closely at the People Power Party or the Democratic Party, they claim to be conservative or progressive, but there is little difference. If you do a blind test of their party platforms, it is hard to distinguish which is which," stressing that the 'Future Grand Alliance' will serve as a platform.