A group of 29 lawmakers pose at the National Assembly, Tuesday, after leaving the ruling Saenuri Party to create a new conservative party. They automatically gained the status of a National Assembly negotiating group prior to the official launch of the party next month. / Yonhap



By Choi Ha-young

A group of 29 lawmakers left the ruling Saenuri Party, Tuesday, to create a new conservative party.

The faction automatically gained the status of a parliamentary negotiating group — having 20 members — which means it can immediately act as a political party prior to its official inauguration, slated for Jan. 24. The group was tentatively named the New Conservative Party for Reform.

Consequently, the Saenuri Party's number of seats shrank to 99 in the 300-seat National Assembly. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) became the largest party with 121 seats; while the People's Party has 38 seats; the Justice Party, six seats; and independent lawmakers numbered six.

This means, theoretically, the opposition parties and independent lawmakers can amend the Constitution without the ruling party's consent.

Rep. Joo Ho-young, a four-term lawmaker, was named the new party's floor leader while three-term lawmaker Lee Jong-gu became its chief policymaker.

In a joint statement, they harshly criticized loyalists of impeached President Park Geun-hye, who have dominated party affairs, for not taking responsibility for the unprecedented influence-peddling scandal involving Park and her close associate Choi Soon-sil.

"Our biggest mission is to restore conservative values and the spirit of economic reform, which have been marred by the pro-Park faction," Rep. Choung Byoung-gug, chief of a steering committee for establishing the new party said.

He targeted Gyeongsang Province-based pro-Park politicians.

"We are firmly opposed to regionalism and politics promoting the interests of certain areas," Chung said.

Rep. Kim Yong-tae who had already quit the ruling party last month joined the group, making it the fourth-largest party with 30 lawmakers.

The group vowed to "recreate a conservative administration," signifying it will put forward a candidate for the presidential race, possibly slated for early next year.

Rep. Kim Moo-sung, who is leading the group, mentioned U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a potential leading presidential candidate many speculate will join the new party; although the ruling party is also eyeing him.

"Ban will never choose the Saenuri Party," Kim told reporters, dismissing the ruling party as "President Park's private party."

The party's other leading member Rep. Yoo Seung-min indicated his intention to run in the presidential election, saying, "I will declare my resolution at an early date." Yoo has openly proposed that Ban join the party and undergo a primary competition with other candidates.

The division of the conservatives has caused a palpable power shift in the National Assembly, with the introduction of a four major-party system for the first time since the nation's democratization in 1987.

Right after the lawmakers announced their departure, the main opposition DPK urged then to prove how they were different. "We are concerned the new party is nothing more than the Saenuri Party's satellite party," the DPK said in a statement. "The new party should immediately support reform bills in accordance with the citizens' demands at candlelit rallies."

The People's Party anticipated a "cooperative" culture in the legislative body, looking forward to potential negotiations with the new party. "From now on, one party cannot unilaterally push ahead or drag policies," Son Geum-ju, a spokesman, said.

Meanwhile, the number of lawmakers confirmed to join the new party was smaller than 35, the number previously announced.

Rep. Na Kyung-won, a four-term lawmaker, withheld her decision Tuesday morning, saying she disapproved of the "left-leaning" policies of the new party.

Rep. Yoo has defined his policy as "conservative in security but people-friendly on economic, welfare, education and labor issues." The statement made on announcing the birth of the new party generally represents Yoo's ideas. "The market economy should be warm, and take care of neighborhoods' lives," it reads.

Kim Hyun-ah, lawmaker elected through the proportional representation system, has yet to quit the party not to lose her position.