Free Korea 21

Free Korea 21
자유한국21
AbbreviationKEP
PresidentChoi Jong-ho
Kim Kyung-se
Founded14 March 2016
Registered21 March 2016
Dissolved6 March 2021
Merged intoFree Democratic Party
HeadquartersHanseo River Park 1512, Yeouiseo-ro, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul
Membership (2018)6,834
IdeologyConservatism (South Korean)[citation needed]
Colours  Orange
Website
http://www.k-ecoparty.kr/

Free Korea 21 was a conservative political party in South Korea led by Choi Jong-ho and Kim Kyung-se.

History

The party was founded as the Pro-Ban Unification Party (Korean: 친반통일당) on 14 March 2016, in order to endorse the-then Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon for the upcoming presidential election.[1] In 2016 election, the party nominated 6 candidates — 2 for constituencies (including the former Cheongju Mayor Han Dae-soo)[2] and 4 for proportional representations, in which no one was elected.

Following the election defeat, it changed its name to the Pro-Ban Nation Hope Union (친반국민희망연합) on 29 November.[3] It again changed to the Party for National Hope (국민희망당) on 31 January 2017[3] shortly after Ban declared to not seek for the presidential election. On 13 April, it then adopted a new name Economic Patriots (Korean: 경제애국당), with electing the President of Haha Group Oh Young-guk as its presidential candidate.[3] Oh received 6,040 votes (0.01%), making him as the candidate with the fewest votes in the presidential election,[4] as well as the fewest votes since 1948.[5]

The party then reverted its former name on 29 October 2019[6] and again to the Korea Economic Party (Korean: 한국경제당) on 2 March 2020 as a "refoundation".[7] Prior to the 2020 election, the Gangnam 3rd MP Lee Eun-jae, joined this party, making the party with a parliamentary representation.[8] Lee, who was elected under the Saenuri (then United Future Party) banner in 2016, joined the Christian Liberal Unification Party (CLUP) after lost at preselection.[8] However, she also withdrew from the CLUP following her elimination due to her Buddhist identity.[9]

After the party did not gain any seats in the election, sources reported that Lee had already exited from the party.[10]

The party was renamed to Free Korea 21 on 14 December 2020, and voted to merge into the new Freedom and Democratic Party on 6 March 2021.

Policies

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The party describes itself as "centre-right"[11][12] and critical of the United Future Party. Originally a pro-Ban party, it has renounced its pro-Ban stance in 2017.[13]

2016 election manifesto

For the 2016 election, the party promised a constitutional amendment, from the 5-year non-renewable presidential system to the American-style 4-year renewable presidential system with reinstating the vice presidency.[1]

2017 presidential election manifesto

Following are a part of the manifestos of Oh Young-guk.[14]

  • Building South Korea as the leading country of Northeast Asia
  • Building the "Korean identity" by ethnic integration and stopping wars
  • Recover all credit delinquers
  • Pardoning all imprisoned criminals, as well as removing all criminal records 3 years from the enforcement ends (not applicable for brutal crimes i.e. murder, rape, robbery and assault)

2020 election manifesto

For the 2020 election, the party promised to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, adopting it as its "1st manifesto".[15][11]

Election results

President

Election Candidate Votes % Result
2017 Oh Young-guk 6,040 0.02 Not elected

Legislature

Election Leader Constituency Party list Seats Position Status
Votes % Votes % No. +/–
2016 Lee Moon-yong 9,394 0.04 9,710 0.04
0 / 300
 new 21st Extra-parliamentary
2020 Choi Jong-ho
Kim Kyung-se 		48,807 0.17
0 / 300
 Steady 0 18th Extra-parliamentary

References

  1. ^ a b "친반통일당 창당, '5년 대통령 단임제를 4년 중임제'로의 헌법을 개헌하겠다". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  2. ^ "새누리 탈당 한대수, 친반통일당 입당 출마(종합)". 25 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "하하그룹 오영국 회장, 사기 전과 재조명…"경영 중 일어난 일 책임진 것"". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. ^ "19대 대선 '최저 득표자'는 기호 7번 오영국 후보". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  5. ^ "더불어민주당 문재인 후보 제19대 대통령 당선". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. ^ "중앙당 변경등록 공고(경제애국당)". 29 October 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  7. ^ "중앙당 변경등록 공고(불교연합당, 한국경제당)". 2 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b "이은재, 미래통합당-기독자유통일당 돌아 '한국경제당' 입당 '비례 1번". 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  9. ^ "[단독]불자인가 교인인가…이은재, 기독자유통일당 공천 탈락". 26 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  10. ^ ""피가 모자라…" 이은재, 한국경제당 탈당". 24 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  11. ^ a b 고재만 (1 March 2020). "중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언". Maeil Business Newspaper.
  12. ^ "한국경제당 창당… 통합당 공천 탈락 의원 합류". 3 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  13. ^ "CLNTV미디어 선거로 승부 걸라! 경제애국당 김경세 대표와 오영국 대통령 후보 등(월기총사랑방송)(9)". 14 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  14. ^ "하하그룹 회장 오영국, 백수트 입고 세상에 없던 10대 공약 낭독". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  15. ^ "중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언". 1 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.

External links