S. Korean conservatives more fragmented than ever

[soryang]

Posted on : Jan.12,2020 14:46 KST
Hankyoreh

The “conservative unity” debate that has unfolded for nearly three years since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye not only failed to make progress, but is showing signs of backsliding. With just 100 days or so left before the general election on Apr. 15, conservatives seem to be splintering more than ever. Having been rent asunder by the impeachment, their political situation is now gravitating toward two extremes. Even as they appeal for unity amid their sense of crisis, they lack the leadership to drive it -- along with any sign of willingness for collective self-sacrifice. Within the political community, the prediction is that it is conservatives, rather than progressives, who are in danger of collapsing from disunity. This is being attributed to the antics of Liberal Korea Party (LKP) leader Hwang Kyo-ahn, whose flirtations with the far right is only widening the gap with moderate and center conservatives.

More: http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/924093.html

This is a pretty good summary of the current disarray on the far right in South Korea. The article really doesn't even go far enough. There are prosecutions pending against two dozen LKP members for various offenses committed in National Assembly last April in the initial attempt to thwart fast track referral of reform legislation. Those unlawful tactics including assaulting the speaker of the National Assembly were repeated at the end of last year in attempt to block passage of those same bills. Virtually every effort of the far right LKP party to block government reforms has failed as the so called pro-government coaltion led by the democratic party in power, (referred to as the 4+1 coalition) has passed the major reforms resisted by the far right.

At first, the LKP threatened to filibuster all the reforms, and since has boycotted the legislation. The four plus one coalition had a quorum and a majority to pass all measures agreed upon by the coalition. It can safely be said, that the tactics of occupation, sit in, demonstrations, physical violence, destruction of government records, and obstruction of the National Assembly have failed in two ways. Legislatively, they simply failed. In terms of political appeal the LKP has alienated the public with its radical support for the legacy of the right wing dictatorships of the past, radical right wing religious fundamentalism, and dare it be said, their militarism and US flag waving, at a time when the US has been pursuing widely unpopular diplomatic goals in South Korea.

Inside the beltway "experts" on Korea in the US are backing the wrong horse.