Park Se-il, former lawmaker of the ruling Grand National Party and president of non-profit think tank Hansun Foundation, initiated a new political party aiming to include both conservatives and moderate liberals.
The preparatory committee for the party, provisionally named People’s Thoughts, was launched Wednesday in Yeouido and pledged to register the party next month, officials said.
The list of founding members included prominent figures such as former parliamentary secretary-general Park Kye-dong and former GNP members Yun Kun-young and Bae Il-do.
Hansun Foundation President Park Se-il (left) and Green Social Democratic Party Chairman Chang Ki-pyo raise their hands together in the initiation ceremony of a centrist party, provisionally named as People’s Thoughts and scheduled to kick off next month. (Yonhap News)
Among the members were also former liberal Prime Minister Kim Suk-soo and former left-wing lawmaker Kim Kyung-jae, along with cultural leaders such as Suh Han-saem, representative of a prominent local book publisher.
“We plan to register 200 or more candidates in the April general election,” said Park.
“At least 30 percent of the in-party nominee positions are to be allocated to junior members and women.”
Park, together with environmental civic group leader Chang Ki-pyo, also suggested peninsular development, unification and the promotion of the public’s standard of living as the party’s top policies, according to officials.
The former lawmaker announced last November that he intended to create a new moderate party to embrace all camps.
His move was based on the view that voters, especially the younger generation, distrust the rivalry between existing conservative and liberal parties.
By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldm.com)
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
