The Party for National Innovation Quickly Becomes the 'Third Party'... 'Prison Sentence' Jo Guk Heads to the National Assembly

Democratic Party and Yoon Government Expected to Face Increased Pressure
Parliamentary Seat to Be Lost if Supreme Court Confirms Prison Sentence

The Joguk Innovation Party, which ran in the 22nd general election under the slogan "Judgment on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration," is expected to secure the position of the third-largest party in the National Assembly. Despite the 'judicial risk' surrounding its leader, Jo Guk, he succeeded in entering the National Assembly ahead of the Supreme Court ruling.

As of 3:39 a.m. on the 11th, with 68.41% of the nationwide proportional representation votes counted, the Joguk Innovation Party is recording 23.47% of the vote share.

The People Power Party's satellite party, People’s Future, received the most votes at 38.01%, followed by the Democratic Party-led Together Democratic Alliance with 26.23%. The Reform Party is recording 3.43%.

According to earlier exit polls, the Joguk Innovation Party is expected to gain 12 to 14 proportional representation seats. This means the newly established party, which launched last month with the goal of judging the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, has quickly secured the position of the third-largest party in the National Assembly.

Cho Kuk, leader of the National Innovation Party, is watching the announcement of the exit poll results for the general election at the National Assembly on the 10th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

When Leader Jo held the new party founding convention on the 3rd of last month, few predicted such a result. The Joguk Innovation Party fielded only proportional representation candidates without any district candidates.

However, since then, the Joguk Innovation Party has created a sensation by receiving support surpassing that of the Together Democratic Alliance in various opinion polls. During the election campaign, Leader Jo criticized prosecutorial dictatorship and pledged to push for the "Kim Gun-hee Special Prosecutor Act" and the "Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Act."

The strong offensive against President Yoon and the prosecution is analyzed to have consolidated opposition support. It is also interpreted that Leader Jo’s sympathy base grew as he was dismissed from his position as a Seoul National University professor after resigning as Minister of Justice, and his wife, Jung Kyung-shim, was sentenced to four years in prison and is serving her sentence.

Leader Jo is expected to enter the National Assembly securely as number 2 on the proportional representation list.

Immediately after the polls closed the day before, Leader Jo stated, "The people have clearly expressed their judgment on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration."

He emphasized, "The true protagonists of this general election victory are the people who can no longer tolerate the regression of the Yoon Seok-yeol prosecutorial dictatorship regime," and urged, "President Yoon should humbly accept the results of this general election and apologize to the people for the numerous mismanagements and corruptions."

The Joguk Innovation Party is expected to strengthen pressure on the Yoon Seok-yeol government alongside the Democratic Party in the 22nd National Assembly. Leader Jo has already pledged to propose the "Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Act."

However, Leader Jo still faces 'judicial risk' as he was sentenced to two years in prison in the second trial for charges including his children's admission fraud and covering up Blue House inspections.

If the Supreme Court upholds the two-year prison sentence, Leader Jo will lose his parliamentary seat and be barred from political activities such as the March 2027 presidential election. Of course, if the Supreme Court remands the case, the situation would change, but since both the first and second trials found him guilty, the possibility is considered low.