Third Zone Boosted by 'Unified Public Relations Committee'... Pre-Lunar New Year Agreement Faces 'Difficulties'

'Integrated Public Relations Committee' 2nd Meeting... Reconfirmation of Detailed Disagreements
Lee Won-wook "Final Opinion Coordination by 6 PM Today"
Tug-of-War Expected Over Issues Like Party Name and Leadership System

The third-zone new party forces have agreed to form a 'Unified Nomination Management Committee,' but they are facing difficulties in coordinating differences over specific details such as the party name and leadership system. It is expected to be difficult to present a 'completed agreement' before the Lunar New Year holiday begins, as originally planned.

On the morning of the 8th, Rep. Lee Won-wook of 'Principle and Common Sense' met with reporters after the second meeting of the 'Third-Zone Various Parties Roundtable' at the National Assembly and said, "There was a slight agreement on the method of selecting proportional representation candidates, but many issues remain unresolved," adding, "In this situation, it was judged inappropriate to announce the details, so it was decided to keep it confidential until 6 p.m."

Kim Yong-nam, Policy Committee Chairman of the Reform New Party (from left), Lee Won-wook of Principles and Common Sense, Kim Jong-min of New Future, and Geum Tae-seop, co-representatives, are holding a meeting to promote the third-party unified public relations committee at the National Assembly on the 8th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim Yong-nam, Policy Committee Chair of the Reform New Party, Kim Jong-min, Co-Representative of New Future, Geum Tae-seop, Co-Representative of New Choice, and Rep. Lee Won-wook identified issues requiring further discussion at the second meeting. They agreed to deliberate on unresolved matters until 6 p.m. that day. Principle and Common Sense plans to collect the final opinions of each party and, if necessary, convene additional meetings or decide whether to announce the results as 'agreement' or 'disagreement.' Rep. Lee said, "There was a sense that the most important issue was about the party name and leadership system."

At the first meeting held the previous day, there was consensus that the 'Unified Nomination Committee' would be responsible for the preliminary screening of candidates. However, gaps remained regarding the preparation of the proportional representation candidate list. On the 6th, Reps. Lee Won-wook and Cho Eung-cheon proposed the formation of the Unified Nomination Committee and suggested adopting an 'open competitive list system' for proportional representation candidates, with the cut-off (nomination exclusion) screening entrusted to a 'citizen panel' under 40 years old. The open list system means that the party prepares the proportional representation candidate list, but the order of election is determined by voters' votes.

New Future Co-Leaders Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Jong-min raise their joined hands with attendees at the New Future Central Party Founding Convention held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the 4th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since there is agreement on forming the 'Unified Nomination Committee,' it seems possible for the new party forces to agree at least on fielding a single candidate in each electoral district. However, if differences cannot be narrowed on the final integration method?whether merger, electoral alliance party, or electoral coalition?as well as on the party name, leadership system, platform, and common pledges, a 'breakdown' cannot be ruled out. In particular, if one of the existing party names is adopted, strong opposition is expected from the supporters of the other new party. One of the reasons Reps. Lee Won-wook and Cho Eung-cheon left during the New Future party formation process was the party name.

Meanwhile, on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, the 9th, the new party forces plan to hold a 'joint homecoming greeting' at Yongsan Station in Seoul. From the Reform New Party, Representative Lee Jun-seok and Floor Leader Yang Hyang-ja will participate, and from New Future, Co-Representatives Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Jong-min, Co-Representative of New Choice Geum Tae-seop, and Reps. Lee Won-wook and Cho Eung-cheon will attend.