S. Korea: Conservatives Head 3 Major Parties(RINO,RINO-light,Conservative)

Korea Times ^ | 01/11/08 | Kim Sue-young

[TigerLikesRooster]

Conservatives Head 3 Major Parties

By Kim Sue-young

Staff Reporter

As a result of the election of former Gyeonggi Governor Sohn Hak-kyu as chairman of the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) Thursday, three of the nation's major political parties are led by former and incumbent members of the conservative Grand National Party (GNP).

Former GNP Chairman Lee Hoi-chang, who unsuccessfully ran for president twice on the GNP's ticket and once as an independent, is preparing to launch another conservative party early next month. Lee and his followers held a promoters' meeting in Seoul Thursday.

On the same day, the liberal, pro-government UNDP gave its top position to former Governor Sohn who left the GNP last March. Later, Sohn unsuccessfully ran in the UNDP's primary. The GNP is now led by Kang Jae-sup, a five-term lawmaker from Daegu.

``We stand here with determination to regain public trust and respect,'' Sohn said in his inauguration speech at the National Assembly Friday. ``The people scorned the party in December's presidential election and we should properly recognize what that means.''

UNDP candidate Chung Dong-young was defeated by GNP's Lee Myung-bak with the biggest ever margin of 22.6 percentage points.

A professor-turned-politician, Sohn stressed that his embattled party should stand as a new progressive group and opposition party which can suggest feasible policies.

He also vowed to unfailingly stop the in-land waterway project, a signature pledge of President-elect Lee Myung-bak, and recruit new faces as part of efforts to revamp the party.

However, he is still dogged by his previous affiliation with the GNP even though he was considered a more left-leaning politician while being in the conservative party.

The Dec. 19 presidential election already indicated that politics here is moving toward conservatism.

Representative right-leaning candidates, Lee Myung-bak and independent Lee Hoi-chang, garnered a combined 63.8 percent of the vote in the crucial election. The former received 48.7 percent, while the latter won 15.1 percent.

Chung's approval rating stood at just 26.1 percent, whereas Kwon Young-ghil from the progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) received only three percent, even lower than that he got in the 2002 presidential race.

Political experts attributed the phenomenon to the public disappointment with the Roh Moo-hyun administration for its poor performance.

``It was certainly the single biggest factor in Lee Myung-bak's success. Voters seemed to regard Roh and his administration as incompetent,'' said Andy Jackson who teaches American government in the Lakeland College bridge program at Ansan College in Gyeonggi Province.

The UNDP, which suffered internal feuding after the crushing defeat in the major election, was founded by Roh and his supporters in November 2003.

Roh's popularity plunged during his tenure due to surging housing prices and rising unemployment.

Following Lee's landslide victory, the GNP will likely gain more Assembly seats in the April 9 general elections than it now has in the 299-member legislature, the professor said.

On the other hand, the UNDP will likely face rocky roads ahead even though Sohn is keen on revamping the party to regain the public heart.

Rumors have it that some party lawmakers from Chungcheong areas as well as pro-Roh legislators may move out to Lee Hoi-chang's Chungcheong-based party, tentatively named ``Liberty New Party.''

[TigerLikesRooster]

Soh Hak-gyu is a RINO, or may be close to New Labor in Britain. He was in Hannara Party, the main conservative party. Now Hannara party is overrun by Lee Myun-bak and his cronies. Lee is also RINO. He may be a little harder on Kim Jong-il than Soh Hak-gyu. Lee Hoi-chang, the former head of Hannara Party, is now launching his own party. He is conservative. Then there is a minor party called Democratic Party, which is now headed by Lee In-je. Lee In-je used to be in Hannara Party. He bolted when he lost party primary to Lee Hoi-chang. Lee In-je is also conservative, even though he compromised a bit while wandering from party to party. Lee In-je is surely more conservative than Lee Myung-bak.

So four major parties in S. Korea are all led by former Hannara men. All were president-hopefuls at one time or another.

The political pool of the left was decimated for now. They may rise again if Lee Myung-bak crews up royally. Still, people may turn to other conservative or center-right alternatives than certified losers like the current S. Korean left.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Always Right]

Sounds like our primary. Unfortunately for us RINO and RINO-light are the front runners.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thanks, as always. You are a valuable Freeper. Your writings are on FR for years to come for us to look at from the archives.

[SevenofNine]

Sound like the US I hope these guy take hard line with Chia Pet who getting way with murder in last South Korea president term

[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump.

LOL, are they really in Korea and not the U.S.?

They sound like this years elections in the U.S.

[AmericanInTokyo]

In the old days, i.e. 2001-2005, the North Koreans feared THIS for Pyongyang, and had to more or less watch themselves. We we be well advised to adopt this tactic of threats again, as otherwise they are not going to change their tune!

[Schwaeky]

the left, as we would call it here, is north of the 38th parallel.