Free Korea 21
Free Korea 21 자유한국21 | |
|---|---|
 Logo as the Korea Economic Party | |
| Abbreviation | KEP |
| President | Choi Jong-ho Kim Kyung-se |
| Founded | 14 March 2016 |
| Registered | 21 March 2016 |
| Dissolved | 6 March 2021 |
| Merged into | Free Democratic Party |
| Headquarters | Hanseo River Park 1512, Yeouiseo-ro, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul |
| Membership (2018) | 6,834 |
| Ideology | Conservatism (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[edit]
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[edit]
| This article is part of a series on |
| Conservatism in South Korea |
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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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
For the 2020 election, the party promised to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, adopting it as its "1st manifesto".[15][11]
Election results[edit]
President[edit]
| Election | Candidate | Votes | % | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Oh Young-guk | 6,040 | 0.02 | Not elected |
Legislature[edit]
| 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
|
 0
|
18th | Extra-parliamentary | ||
References[edit]
- ^ a b "친반통일당 창당, '5년 대통령 단임제를 4년 중임제'로의 헌법을 개헌하겠다". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "새누리 탈당 한대수, 친반통일당 입당 출마(종합)". 25 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ a b c "하하그룹 오영국 회장, 사기 전과 재조명…"경영 중 일어난 일 책임진 것"". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "19대 대선 '최저 득표자'는 기호 7번 오영국 후보". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "더불어민주당 문재인 후보 제19대 대통령 당선". 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "중앙당 변경등록 공고(경제애국당)". 29 October 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "중앙당 변경등록 공고(불교연합당, 한국경제당)". 2 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ a b "이은재, 미래통합당-기독자유통일당 돌아 '한국경제당' 입당 '비례 1번". 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "[단독]불자인가 교인인가…이은재, 기독자유통일당 공천 탈락". 26 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ ""피가 모자라…" 이은재, 한국경제당 탈당". 24 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ a b 고재만 (1 March 2020). "중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언". Maeil Business Newspaper.
- ^ "한국경제당 창당… 통합당 공천 탈락 의원 합류". 3 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "CLNTV미디어 선거로 승부 걸라! 경제애국당 김경세 대표와 오영국 대통령 후보 등(월기총사랑방송)(9)". 14 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "하하그룹 회장 오영국, 백수트 입고 세상에 없던 10대 공약 낭독". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언". 1 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
