K Voting to be conducted over two days on the 24th and 25th
Change process to begin upon selecting the third name option
The Reform New Party will decide whether to change its party name through a party member vote.
According to the Reform New Party on the 24th, a vote on whether to change the party name will be held over two days from 9 a.m. on the 24th to 6 p.m. on the 25th. The vote will utilize the Central Election Commission's mobile voting system (K-Voting).
This is a follow-up measure to fulfill the promise of changing the party name after the general election, a condition for the merger with 'Hanguk-ui Huimang' led by former lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja. The vote offers three options: maintaining the existing party name Reform New Party, changing to 'Hanguk-ui Huimang,' or selecting a third name.
Earlier in January, the Reform New Party and Hanguk-ui Huimang decided to merge and agreed to keep the existing party name Reform New Party until before the general election and change it to Hanguk-ui Huimang afterward. Former lawmaker Yang officially raised the issue with the leadership, stating, "We agreed to change the party name after the election," as the name change process was delayed even after the party convention.
Reform New Party members Lee Jun-seok, Lee Joo-young, and Chun Ha-ram are arriving at their National Assembly offices on the first day of the 22nd National Assembly's term, the 30th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Within the Reform New Party, opinions are divided over the party name change. Some argue that the name Reform New Party should be maintained since it has gained a foothold through victory in the general election, while others believe a new party name is necessary to prepare for the 2026 local elections. This is because the existing name is considered insufficient to express the party’s identity as it aims to become a ruling party.
Some also insist that the name should be changed to Hanguk-ui Huimang as promised. However, the possibility of changing the name to Hanguk-ui Huimang is seen as slim. Since former party leader Lee Jun-seok still holds overwhelming support within the party, it is expected that even if the name changes, it will strongly reflect the existing identity.
If the vote results in choosing a third name, the Reform New Party plans to begin a full-scale party name change process in the future.
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