People's Party Anti-merger Faction to Form New Party

A People's Party faction on Sunday officially declared its plan to break away and launch a new party in protest against the People's Party's plan to merge with the Bareun Party.

Its declaration confirms the factional disputes between those supporting People's Party Chairman Ahn Cheol-soo, who wants to decide officially on the merger with the conservative Bareun Party at a convention on Feb. 4, and more liberal members based in Gwangju and the Jeolla provinces.

The envisioned new party, primarily formed with lawmakers from the Jeolla regions, is to be named the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP). It will be officially launched on Feb. 6, according to preparatory committee leader Rep. Cho Bae-sook.

As of Sunday, 16 lawmakers registered to defect to the new party, including Cho, Reps. Park Jie-won, Chun Jung-bae and Chung Dong-young. Along with the lawmakers, about 2,400 party members have signed in support of the new party.

"The envisioned party will focus on policies to improve people's lives and oppose collusion with conservatives," the PDP promoters said in a statement. "The party will devote itself to social justice and equality."

They also said they would make efforts to make the Korean Peninsula peaceful and free from nuclear threats from North Korea, a goal set in respect for former President Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy.

Most of the lawmakers planning to join the new party are those who carry on Kim's legacy. Kim, a former democracy activist, is a symbolic figure in the liberal Jeolla area.

The PDP promoters also touted a "powerful minor party," the same slogan as the People's Party, by breaking the dominance of two larger parties ― the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).

The PDP is likely to become the fourth-largest party, following the DPK, LKP and the merged party between the People's Party and the Bareun Party. But it is unclear if the PDP can form a negotiating body, which requires at least 20 parliamentary...