hankyoreh

Lee Nak-yon, a lawmaker and former prime minister for South Korea, officially announces his departure from the top opposition Democratic Party and plans to create a new party on Jan. 11. (Kim Bong-gyu/The Hankyoreh)

Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon announced on Thursday that he will be leaving the Democratic Party. Lee was appointed as prime minister by the Moon Jae-in administration, and even served as the party leader, so his announcement came as no small shock to the political sphere. 

Three other party members announced their departure the day before, and former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok has pledged to create a new party. Amid the current bipartisan political gridlock, there is a growing movement to form a third way. But we shouldn’t forget that third parties in the past have quickly wilted after failing to earn the public’s trust as a viable political alternative. 

“The Democratic Party has strayed from the spirit, values and class of people like Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, once the pride of the party. The party has since fallen to violent and vulgar behavior and language, often acting like a one-man party or a political shield,” Lee Nak-yon said during the press conference that announced his departure. 

“Young lawmakers capable of upholding the spirit and values of the Democratic Party have continually been pressured to forfeit their campaigns. Furthermore, internal critics of the party and my supporters have been attacked and insulted as ‘watermelons,’” Lee added.

In Korean politics, the term watermelon is used to describe hypocritical or two-faced politicians, as a watermelon’s external appearance is drastically different from its internal one.

The longtime Democrat indicated that his decision to depart from the party was due to Lee Jae-myung, the current party leader, and the party’s increasing willingness to cater to fanatic supporters. Lee also announced his intentions to form a new party with fellow ex-party members, three former Democratic Party lawmakers who are organizing themselves around “principles and common sense.” Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok has also pledged to form a new party. Former Democratic Party members Keum Tae-sup and Yang Hyang-ja have also indicated they will create a third party. 

In Korean politics, the sudden emergence of splitting parties and new allegiances in the face of an approaching election is not rare. As an established party member, however, there are questions surrounding the legitimacy of the reasoning he gave for his departure. Lee Nak-yon called for the resignation of Lee Jae-myung and the formation of a joint interim leadership committee, both conditions a tall order for the current party leader. When Lee Jae-myung rejected this proposal, Lee Nak-yon responded immediately by leaving the party. 

Setting aside Lee Nak-yon’s personal political ambitions and the rivalry between himself and the party leader, which has grown since the last presidential election, Lee Nak-yon needs to adequately explain how his departure from the party will benefit the people of Korea.   

Thanks to the misgovernment by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration coupled with disappointment in the Democratic Party, public interest in a third political party is currently high. But while a third party may benefit from this double whammy, it will likely face criticisms that the new party was hastily created after its members failed to secure nominations for the upcoming election. Without political legitimacy or a distinct set of values, a new party is likely to be branded by voters as nothing more than an “anti-Yoon” or “anti-Lee Jae-myung” party. 

Any faction claiming to be a political alternative needs to be careful not to stoke more rancor if it wishes to earnestly fight the current gridlock and partisanship. If a new party truly wishes to embody a multi-party system of cooperation and compromise, it needs to present the corresponding vision and values to the people.  

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