Park Won-seok: "Reform Future Party Name Not Highly Preferred... Open Call Underway"

The Election Commission to Review Similar Party Names... Will Proceed with Public Contest

Opposition Views Big Tent as Unstable
"More Concerned About Lee Jun-seok's Yeongnam Influence Than Lee Nak-yeon's Honam Disruptive Power"

Former leader Lee Nak-yeon (center), who left the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jun-seok (left), Chairman of the Reform New Party Policy Committee, and Geum Tae-seop, Co-Representative of New Choice, are attending the "New Future Party Founding General Assembly" held on the 16th at Seoul Women's Plaza in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform New Party, expressed displeasure over the tentative party name ‘Gaehyeok Miraedang’ (Reform Future Party) chosen by the anti-Myung faction’s founding group within the opposition (Future Coalition·New Future). In response, the Reform Future Party side stated that “the name is not highly favored within the party” and that it could be subject to change. Lee criticized the name ‘Gaehyeok Miraedang’ for being similar to Reform New Party, saying, “Free-riding is problematic whether it’s on the subway or in party names.” Political circles interpret the conflict over the party name as a power struggle and psychological warfare over the ‘third zone’ big tent.

Park Won-seok, co-leader of the Future Coalition, appeared on ‘YTN News King with Park Ji-hoon’ on the 29th and said, “Gaehyeok Miraedang is a tentative name, and since there is already a party called ‘Miraedang’ (Future Party), the Election Commission is conducting a review for similar party names.” He added, “The name Gaehyeok Miraedang is not highly favored within the party. We will hold a public contest,” indicating that the party name has not been finalized.

Lee Jun-seok posted on his Facebook the day before, criticizing, “In a situation where the Reform New Party has launched and is making reform a key issue, the merger of ‘Future Coalition’ and ‘New Future’ to use the party name ‘Gaehyeok Miraedang’ seems to have a clear intention.” He said, “It’s like a newly opened Chinese restaurant borrowing the name of a slightly well-known one.”

Lee Jun-seok, Chairman of the Reform New Party's Policy Committee, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the 'New Future Party Founding General Assembly' held on the 16th at Seoul Women's Plaza in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Responding to Lee Jun-seok’s ‘Chinese restaurant name borrowing’ analogy, Park said, “It is regrettable,” and added, “Since it is not a highly favored name, I don’t think it is appropriate to mention ‘Chinese restaurant.’” He stated, “With the founding convention of the Reform New Party scheduled for February 4, only issues such as integration, personnel appointments, and leadership structure remain to be settled, so we will swiftly move toward a joint founding.”

Meanwhile, within the Democratic Party, there are forecasts that the ‘third zone big tent’ integration will not be smooth. Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Du-kwan appeared on ‘KBS Jeon Jong-cheol’s Jeonggyeok Sisa’ on the same day and said, “Compared to the Honam influence of Lee Nak-yeon’s new party, I am a bit more concerned about the Yeongnam influence of Lee Jun-seok’s new party.” He added, “Although the number of candidates who can win on their own in Lee Jun-seok’s new party seems to be small, it could influence individual electoral districts’ election systems.” He also said, “Regarding the ‘third zone’ big tent, it seems Lee Jun-seok is taking a somewhat more reserved stance,” and predicted, “There will be considerable difficulties with the big tent because they believe that if mixed improperly, it will be neither fish nor fowl.”