Kim Junhyeong: "If Cho Kuk Is Pardoned, He Will Disrupt the Two-Party System... He Should Run in Either the Local or By-Election"

Cho Kuk Named as Candidate for Liberation Day Special Pardon... Decision on the 11th
Kim Junhyeong: "Will Break the Two-Party System from the Left of the Democratic Party"
"Cho Kuk's Pardon Is Not an Issue That Would Shake the Lee Administration"

As former Innovation Party leader Cho Kuk has been named as a candidate for the Liberation Day special pardon, Innovation Party lawmaker Kim Junhyeong expressed hope for the pardon, saying, "If former leader Cho is pardoned, it will disrupt the two-party system." In an interview on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyunjung's News Show" on the 11th, Kim stated, "While the party is cautious, our position is clear," regarding whether former leader Cho would be included in the Liberation Day special pardon list.

The scene when Lee Jae Myung, then leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, paid a visit to Cho Kuk, leader of the Innovation Party, in August last year. Photo by Kim Hyun Min

Kim said, "When former leader Cho recruited me, he said, 'Our party aims to be slightly to the left of the Democratic Party.' President Lee Jaemyung described himself as 'progressive-conservative, centrist-conservative,' and since there is currently no Justice Party, there is a large vacuum to the left of the Democratic Party. Former leader Cho has a political conviction to fill this gap and break the two-party structure, so if he returns, the Innovation Party will gain much more momentum than it currently has."

When asked by the host about speculation that former leader Cho might merge with the Democratic Party if he is released, Kim replied, "There are people who say such things privately behind the scenes. Politics is unpredictable, so I do not know how leader Cho will act. However, I believe that his intention is to establish a position in the area of progressive politics."

Regarding whether former leader Cho, if pardoned and reinstated, would run in next year's local elections or a parliamentary by-election, Kim said, "It is too early to discuss that now." He added, "Rather than focusing on what is politically advantageous, it is more important to choose the path our party should take. If strengthening our parliamentary presence is more important, we will increase our number of lawmakers to 13 by running in the by-election. If achieving results in the local elections to promote grassroots democracy is more important, then running in the local elections will be the decision. In any case, I believe leader Cho should run in one of them."

Kim stated, "I do not think the Lee Jaemyung administration is so weak that it would lose momentum due to the pardon," adding, "It may be an issue initially, but it is not one that would weaken or destabilize the administration." Regarding the possibility of a 'Christmas special pardon,' he said, "By the first half of next year, he could be released simply for good behavior. If that happens, it might actually be better for him to serve out his full sentence. Politically speaking, that is the calculation."

On the afternoon of the 11th, President Lee will preside over an extraordinary Cabinet meeting to review and approve agenda items related to special pardons, special commutations, special reinstatements, and special reductions. The list of candidates for this year's Liberation Day special pardon, which passed the Ministry of Justice's pardon review committee on the 7th, will be finalized at this Cabinet meeting. Reportedly, the list includes former leader Cho and his spouse, former lawmakers Choi Kangwook and Yoon Mihyang, former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education superintendent Cho Heeyeon, as well as opposition figures such as former lawmakers Hong Moonjong and Jeong Chanmin.