Only UPP enjoys synergy from left-wing unitySaenuriPartyDemocratic


Though Wednesday’s general election involved an unprecedented 20 political parties and numerous independent candidates, most minor parties and non-party figures had little to show for it.

The far-left Unified Progressive Party nevertheless succeeded in becoming the third-largest party in parliament, with a better-than-expected performance in the Seoul metropolitan area and the southwestern Honam region.

Though it failed to reach the quorum of 20 to form a parliamentary negotiating group, it is expected to exert greater influence in the left-wing bloc, especially as the main opposition Democratic United Party failed to reclaim leading party status.

Also, its star figures such as Roh Hoe-chan and Shim Sang-jeong won their way into the assembly, though Cheon Ho-seon lost to right-wing candidate Lee Jae-oh.

Ryu Si-min, one of the party’s joint leaders, failed to win his proportional representative seat.

“We have seen the people’s aspirations for change and their support for the liberal alliance in the metropolitan area,” said party leader Lee Jung-hee.

“However, we have not risen high enough to meet people’s expectations and will try further to establish a liberal government in the next term.”

The minority conservative Liberty Forward Party, on the other hand, had a poor election result.

The LFP had been the third-largest party but only managed to win three seats in its stronghold Chungcheong provinces and two from the proportional representation list.

Party officials watched the exit polls in solemn silence late on Wednesday, with most leaving the party headquarters before the final results were confirmed.

“We humbly accept the given results, which were an expression of disappointment and a reprimand from the voters,” said Moon Jeong-lim, the party’s spokesperson who won a representative seat.

The defeat of party chairman Sim Dae-pyung to DUP candidate Lee Hae-chan in the new Sejong City constituency was seen as a particular blow to the party.

“This year’s elections were especially difficult for minority parties as the two leading parties monopolized all of the major public issues,” said an official of the party’s Daejeon branch.

“Also, the residents decided that the development of Sejong City and other Chungcheong areas counted more than their long-held allegiance to the LFP.”

Internal feuds and the effective resignation of former leader Lee Hoi-chang also contributed to the defeat, he said.

Observers also expressed doubt over the future existence of the LFP, which has so far identified itself as the “sole party representing the Chungcheong provinces.”

Meanwhile, parliamentary seats nationwide were largely monopolized by the main parties, though two independent candidates were elected in Yeongnam and Honam respectively.

Minority parties such as the Creative Korea Party and the New Progressive Party failed to win a single seat.

Also, several newly-formed small parties are to be disbanded according to the public election law as they won less than 2 percent of the vote.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)