A turf battle over “progressive liberalism” is unfolding between two major opposition groups that once united around their shared commitment to the ideal.

Independent lawmaker Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo formally declared his political direction as progressive liberal Wednesday, sparking discord with the Democratic Party which claims the perspective as its own.

At the symposium marking the launch of his think-tank Policy Network Tomorrow, Ahn hinted that the organization could form the basis of his own political party, saying that the think-tank’s network would be expanded nationwide. 

On Friday, independent lawmaker Rep. Song Ho-chang announced that Ahn and his followers would pursue progressive liberal ideals. The announcement prompted progressives and some conservatives to lay claim to the ideology.

Following Song’s announcement, former Democratic Party presidential candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in directed barbed remarks at Ahn saying that his party had supported progressive liberal ideals for some time.

In the run up to last year’s presidential election, Ahn and Moon each launched their own campaigns and engaged in a fierce tug-of-war over forming a united front against President Park Geun-hye.

After weeks of sporadic negotiations, Ahn agreed to forfeit in favor of Moon on Nov. 23. In the following weeks, Ahn was criticized for giving lukewarm support to Moon, and some in the progressive bloc have pointed to Ahn as being partially responsible for Moon’s eventual defeat.

“We (the DP) take the liberal position with regards to the individual, and the progressive stance in the field of welfare and economic democratization,” Moon told reporters on Sunday.

“Progressive liberalism is not something (Ahn) can monopolize. The People’s Government and the Participatory Government can also be described as having been of a progressive liberal position.”

The People’s Government refers to the Kim Dae-jung administration, while Participatory Government refers to that of late former President Roh Moo-hyun.

Moon’s comments were echoed by progressive academics including Seoul National University’s professor Cho Kuk, who had attempted to mediate the merger of Ahn and Moon’s campaigns in the run up to last year’s presidential election.

“Ahn Cheol-soo’s think-tank puts forward progressive liberalism and pluralistic democracy as its ideology. The former is nothing new, and has little theoretical meaning,” Cho wrote on his Twitter account on Friday.

The concept of progressive liberalism has, in fact, been used by local politicians for some time.

In 2000, former DP lawmaker Sohn Hak-kyu published a book arguing that progressive liberalism was the new direction for Korea, while former Welfare Minister Ryu Shi-min championed the ideal in opposition to conservatives as well as progressives.

Similar claims have also been made by Rep. Lee One-ku of the ruling Saenuri Party, which has mostly not been associated with progressive ideals. Following a meeting with Ahn on Monday, Lee told reporters that progressive liberalism and the idea of combining progressive and conservative ideals ― which he claims to have espoused 10 years ago ― share the same context.

As for Wednesday’s symposium, Ahn used the event to hint at his future moves, while the think-tank’s chairman of the board Choi Jang-jip focused on progressive liberalism and pluralistic democracy.

“Seminars organized by Tomorrow will be held across the country,” Ahn said.

As Ahn has revealed his intention to field his own candidates in October’s by-elections and the local elections scheduled for next year, observers say that the comment could imply that he plans to expand his supporter base across the nation.

“Today’s symposium for Tomorrow is the starting point for solving the problems scattered across our society, and the beginning of a new movement. I hope that I will be able to tell you that today was the point where the first step for restoring our community was taken.”

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)