Future, current leaders of new political parties jointly call for reform

From left: Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the ruling People Power Party; Yang Hyang-ja, leader of the Hope of Korea Party; Lee Nak-yon, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea and ex-prime minister; Keum Tae-sup, co-leader of the New Party; and Ryu Ho-jeong, a member of the Justic Party, attend a ceremony to celebrate publication of Yang's new book at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yonhap)

Four future and current leaders of political parties jointly called for political reform Tuesday, criticising the current two-party dominance.

Former Prime Minister and ex-Democratic Party of Korea Lee Nak-yon, Former People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok, New Party Co-Chairman Keum Tae-sup and Hope of Korea Chairman Yang Hyang-ja gathered at Yang’s new book launch event, in a show of solidarity against the current political system.

“We have gathered with the shared concern that Korea could collapse under the current system which only allows the two largest parties with iron-clad privileges,” Lee Nak-yon said at the event held at the National Assembly.

The ex-prime minister said on Monday that he will officially make announcements to leave quit the Democratic Party and launch a new political party of his own through a press conference scheduled for Thursday. The announcement comes a few weeks after the Democratic Party’s current leader Lee Jae-myung refused to heed Lee Nak-yon’s request to step down to bring about an intra-party reform.

Lee Jun-seok, who is gearing up to officially launch his party later this month, highlighted a new alliance among the lawmakers that attended Tuesday’s event.

“We have become more than comrades with a shared dream with the common goal we share regarding the nation’s scientific development and the future itself,” the former ruling party leader said.

By Jung Min-kyung(mkjung@heraldcorp.com)