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Liberty Korea Party (LKP) leader Hwang Kyo-ahn and Rep. Shim Jae-chul lead a conservative rally in front of the Sejong Center in Seoul on Jan. 3. (Yonhap News)

The “conservative unity” debate that has unfolded for nearly three years since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye not only failed to make progress, but is showing signs of backsliding. With just 100 days or so left before the general election on Apr. 15, conservatives seem to be splintering more than ever. Having been rent asunder by the impeachment, their political situation is now gravitating toward two extremes. Even as they appeal for unity amid their sense of crisis, they lack the leadership to drive it -- along with any sign of willingness for collective self-sacrifice. Within the political community, the prediction is that it is conservatives, rather than progressives, who are in danger of collapsing from disunity. This is being attributed to the antics of Liberal Korea Party (LKP) leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, whose flirtations with the far right is only widening the gap with moderate and center conservatives.

The political opposition is crowded with a crop of new parties. After former lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo announced his return to politics on Jan. 2, Yoo Seong-min and other former members of the Bareun Party officially announced on Jan. 3 that they’re defecting from its successor, the Bareunmirae Party, to establish the New Conservative Party. While the core members of the Bareunmirae Party — those not affiliated with Ahn or Yoo — remain a force of their own, they’re squabbling with party leader Son Hak-kyu.

Such factors are prompting pundits to suggest that Ahn, following his return to politics, will turn away from the Bareunmirae Party and look elsewhere to create a new party. Other groups that are active are the Coalition for National Unity, which is pushing to reunite conservatives, and Onward for Future 4.0, under independent lawmaker Lee Un-ju. When the hardline conservative party Our Republican Party is thrown into the mix, the conservative field seems to resemble the “warring states” era of ancient China.

The Liberty Korea Party (LKP), which hopes to emerge from the fracas as the dominant player in the conservative sphere, held another rally at Gwanghwamun on Jan. 3. Party leadership have taken a hard line, focusing on hunger strikes and street politics. But since they returned to the streets yet again after failing to prevent fast-tracked legislation from being passed, discontent has been brewing inside the party.

“With the parliamentary elections right around the corner, we need to be shoring up support in each district, but the party is wasting this precious opportunity at the beginning of the year and squandering its resources on public rallies,” one party insider fumed.

Other party members are worried that the confluence of party rallies and demonstrations by the “Taegukgi brigade” in Gwanghwamun and other places is reinforcing the party’s reputation as being on the far right. This impression was clinched by an incident in which party supporters waving Taekgukgi (Korean flags) and American flags encircled the National Assembly while the LKP was attempting to block fast-tracked legislation.

Tentative optimism is arising among conservatives that the return of Ahn Cheol-soo could enable a grand coalition between conservatives and moderates, including the LKP, the New Conservative Party, and the Our Republican Party. The problem, however, is the risk associated with LKP leader Hwang Kyo-ahn. While a conservative coalition would be driven by the desire to win the parliamentary elections, some conservatives are suspicious of the behavior of Hwang, who has paid lip service to unity while currying favor with the far right. That’s also why some in the LKP think Hwang should step down to create room for a conservative coalition.

LKP lawmaker Yeo Sang-gyu, after announcing that he won’t seek reelection, said as much during an interview with CBS radio on Friday. “[Party] leaders have failed to take a single step toward a grand conservative coalition. If Hwang consolidates his control, there won’t be any movement from the Yoo Seong-min or Ahn Cheol-soo camps.” Yeo said the party needs to set up an emergency committee that can prepare for a coalition.

“The conservative coalition that pundits are discussing means embracing moderates such as Ahn Cheol-soo and Yoo Seong-min, but Hwang seems to be talking about something else, namely building a front that would include the Our Republican Party and [prominent pastor] Chun Gwang-hun,” observed Jang Seong-cheol, director of the Center for Empathy and Policy Debate.

With the parliamentary elections approaching, the conservative opposition must confront the fact that they still haven’t resolved their differences over the impeachment debacle. There are still hurt feelings to deal with, too. LKP lawmaker Kim Moo-sung, who wasn’t affiliated with impeached former President Park Geun-hye, issued a statement on Friday calling for conservatives to make the hard decisions necessary to pave the way for unity.

“The members of the supreme council and the nomination committee who were responsible for our defeat in the 2016 parliamentary election and the party leaders who are responsible for the party being in its current state need to step down from their positions,” Kim Moo-sung urged, but the pro-Park faction of the party is standing firm. “If a guy who left the party when it was in trouble waltzes back in like some kind of victorious general, it’s only going to disappoint a portion of our base,” retorted a pro-Park lawmaker.

Outsiders are pessimistic about the chances of a conservative coalition. “There used to be a sense that the right has to unite under any conditions, but moderates are no longer willing to join the LKP unless the pro-Park faction shows some remorse,” said Jeong Han-ul, an expert advisor for Hankook Research. The LKP has already gone too far, Jeong said, to win over moderates.

“Reform means bringing in some new faces, but the face of the LKP right now is [former four-star general] Park Chan-ju and Chun Gwang-hun. Unless the LKP pushes for unification and reform by relinquishing its nominating authority and appointing someone original to lead an emergency committee, it’s unlikely to pose a serious threat to the ruling party,” said a top strategist in the ruling party.

By Jung Yu-gyung, staff reporter

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