The main opposition Democratic United Party and the far-left United Progressive Party are moving to form a policy alliance in joint efforts to gain majority power from the conservative ruling party in the upcoming general elections.

Observers say that in an apparent bid to court hard-core supporters, the duo is expected to seek a full-scale renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. free trade pact, which will take effect on March 15.

They are also likely to put up a united stance against the construction of a strategic naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju.

Recent opinion polls have showed that they are likely to gain a majority of the seats at the National Assembly if they forge a successful electoral alliance.

Amid moves to reverse major national projects the Lee Myung-bak government has pushed forward, some observers cautioned against any “irresponsible” moves aimed primarily at gaining an electoral victory.

The DUP has so far maintained that there should be a renegotiation to remove several clauses in the free trade pact as they cause the balance of interests to swing in favor of the U.S.

The UPP has argued that it should be scrapped completely as there are not sufficient measures to protect farmers and other local industries. It has a strong following from farmers and labor unionists.

Despite such differences, they appear to be moving toward demanding a full-scale renegotiation so that they can further deepen their cooperation for the April 11 elections, observers said.

Regarding the naval base on Jeju, they are also expected to show a unified stance.

“There definitely should be an opposition alliance to stop the construction of the naval base,” DUP leader Han Myeong-soo said on Wednesday while visiting the site with UPP leader Lee Jung-hee.

In a resolute voice, Lee said, “The strongest joint action of the opposition camp should occur here in Gangjeong (the site of the naval base.”

The intensity of the clash over the construction peaked on Wednesday as the authorities began work with explosives to push ahead with the project. Protesters cried as what they call geologically valuable rocks were broken up during the explosion.

Critics say that it is not right for the DUP to demand the scrapping of the two projects as its members initiated them under the preceding Roh Moo-hyun administration.

However, with regard to the Korea-U.S. FTA, the DUP argues that the pact, revised in 2010, is different from the one initially signed in 2007, and that several clauses in the revision could put local industries at a disadvantage.

Some experts said that scrapping any deal with a foreign country unilaterally for political reasons could seriously hurt national credibility.

“I assume that they think they would do whatever it takes to win the elections. For that, the DUP should form a policy alliance with the UPP and accept its demands. It is not a mature thing,” said Lee Chung-hee, politics professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Choi Young-jin, political science professor at Chung-Ang University, raised the possibility that the DUP could have a strategy to raise its bargaining power in the possible renegotiation over the FTA with Washington.

“If more voters call for scrapping the pact or civil society voices against it increase, the leverage for Seoul during the possible negotiations with the U.S. may increase,” Choi said.

He also stressed that it is desirable for voters to have a say over the contentious issues by casting their ballots in the elections.

“Elections have two purposes ― picking policy decision makers and collecting public opinions over state policies. Voters express their thoughts by casting their votes and the government should accept the result,” he said.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)