SEOUL, Two lawmakers of the Democratic Party (DP) who announced their departure from the main opposition party said Sunday they would not join a new party to be formed by a former leader of the DP, ahead of the April 10 parliamentary elections.
Reps. Cho Eung-chon and Lee Won-wook said they decided not to join the new party, which is to be formed by Lee Nak-yon, a former leader of the DP, “for greater integration.”
With the two lawmakers deciding not to join the new party, only a sitting lawmaker of the DP, Rep. Kim Jong-min, is expected to join the party.
The three lawmakers had left the main opposition party, criticizing the way DP Chairman Lee Jae-myung runs the party, amid views that they are unlikely to win party nominations in the upcoming elections.
The series of departures raised questions about whether there will be more people leaving the DP, especially sitting lawmakers, and how much impact this will have on the parliamentary elections less than three months away.
Park Won-suk, a former lawma
ker who is part of preparations for the new party, told reporters the envisioned party aims to set policies for the middle-income class, as well as national interests.
Source: Yonhap News Agency