The Fatherland Innovation Party’s sensation emerged from the exit polls… ‘Jimin Bijo’ becomes a reality

According to the exit polls of the three terrestrial broadcasting companies, the ‘Jimin Bijo’ (constituency is the Democratic Party of Korea, proportionality is the Fatherland Innovation Party) has become a reality. In this 22nd National Assembly, it is expected that there will be at least 12 National Assembly members belonging to the Fatherland Innovation Party. Representative Cho Kuk, who is number 2 in the proportional order, also wears a ‘gold badge’. While a ‘final political struggle’ is inevitable between the Fatherland Innovation Party, which advocates ‘an early end to Yoon Seok-yeol’s regime’, and the government and the ruling party trying to defend it, Representative Cho’s ‘judicial risk’ is expected to become a variable in future political affairs.

According to the exit poll results of the three broadcasting companies (KBS, MBC, and SBS) announced at 6 p.m. on the 10th, the Fatherland Innovation Party was estimated to secure 12 to 14 proportional seats. This is a result that exceeds the 10 seats that Representative Cho initially set as a goal. Candidates Park Eun-jung, Cho Kuk, Lee Hae-min, Shin Jang-sik, Kim Seon-min, Kim Jun-hyung, Kim Jae-won, Hwang Un-ha, Jeong Chun-saeng, Cha Gyu-geun, Kang Gyeong-sook, Seo Wang-jin, Baek Seon-hee, and Kim Hyeong-yeon are eligible for election.

The Fatherland Innovation Party has gained the status of the third party in the National Assembly following the Democratic Party and the People Power Party, and can also aim to form a negotiating group (20 seats) in solidarity with the Progressive Party and the Basic Income Party. The probability of taking on the role of ‘casting boat’ has increased for each major issue.

The Fatherland Innovation Party’s propaganda was a predicted result. In the background, there was a clear line of struggle called ‘judgment of the prosecution dictatorship of the Yoon Seok-yeol government’. While the Democratic Party was experiencing factional conflicts and nomination waves such as ‘pro-Myung’ (pro-Lee Jae-myung) and ‘pro-Moon’ (pro-Moon Jae-in), it quickly gathered opposition supporters and grew in size. The Fatherland Innovation Party expressed its will for cooperation and solidarity with the Democratic Party without submitting a candidate for the constituency, emphasizing ‘support for the people’. Although they support the Democratic Party, they absorbed the votes of the opposition supporters who were disappointed with the current administration’s checks.

The failure of the Democratic Alliance for Democracy, a proportional satellite party of the Democratic Party, to show its presence also served as a backdrop for the Homeland Innovation Party’s propaganda. The Democratic Party established the Democratic Alliance together with the Progressive Party, the New Progressive Alliance, and the Citizens’ Association for United Politics, with the goal of forming a pan-opposition coalition to oppose the Yoon Seok-yeol government. However, during the nomination process, pro-North Korea and anti-American controversies erupted one after another. This is why a significant portion of the Democratic Party’s supporters, who were reluctant to support the Democratic Alliance for Democracy, turned to the Fatherland Innovation Party.

The Fatherland Innovation Party, which has raised its price, is expected to form a strong lending front with the Democratic Party in the 22nd National Assembly.​ However, there are also observations that in the long term, Representative Lee Jae-myung and Representative Cho will engage in a battle for pan-opposition leadership. While some have raised the possibility of a merger between the two parties, Representative Cho has consistently dismissed this and stated that he will take his own path.

It is certain that the Fatherland Innovation Party will launch an all-out offensive against the government and ruling party in the 22nd National Assembly. As his first action in this National Assembly, Representative Cho proposed the ‘Han Dong-hoon Special Prosecutor Act’ and announced that he would conduct a ‘state investigation into suspicions of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s election campaign.’ In addition, they threatened to force President Yoon to appear at the National Assembly by pushing for a ‘government investigation into the prosecution’s suspicions of illegal surveillance of civilians.’

The biggest variable in the future actions of the Fatherland Innovation Party is Representative Cho’s ‘judicial risk’. Representative Cho was sentenced to two years in prison in the second trial on charges of corruption in his children’s entrance exam and ignoring the Blue House inspection. Candidate Hwang Un-ha was also sentenced to three years in prison in the first trial for the Blue House investigation into Ha Myeong and intervention in the Ulsan mayoral election. If the Supreme Court confirms the prison sentence, they will lose their seats in the National Assembly. There are observations that if the party’s central point disappears, it will be difficult to maintain the current ‘combat power’.

Reporter Gu Yun-mo [email protected]

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