Chungcheong Parties Agree to Merger

The People’s Central Party (a tentative name) led by South Chungcheong Province Governor Shim Dae-pyeong has decided to join with the United Liberal Democrats (ULD). Party figures, including Shim, seeking to create the new party, and three ULD lawmakers, including its leader Kim Hak-won, declared an official merger of the two parties at a press conference at the National Assembly yesterday.

By holding a party creation event next January after holding an event attended by leading figures on November 24, the PCP is planning to merge with the ULD legally.

Two ULD lawmakers, Rhee In-je and Kim Nak-sung, will reportedly disaffiliate themselves from the ULD, and try to form the new party with Rep. Chung Jin-suk, but ULD leader Kim decided to maintain his post until procedures for merging the two parties are finalized.

With the two parties agreeing to merge, the political realignment that lawmakers from Chungcheong Province are seeking by the local elections slated for next May seems likely.

yongari@donga.com