Divided the opposition falls

Political parties are responsible for collecting the public’s opinions on a variety of issues and then incorporating those views into national policy. The public then judges how well politicians perform this task during elections.

This is how it’s supposed to work. But parties with unclear identities often suddenly spring up every time there is an election and then dissolve after ballots are cast, confusing the people and raising concerns over whether the will of the public has been distorted.

Hahn Hwa-kap, former head of the Democratic Party, announced that he would create a new entity called the Peace Democratic Party. He said the DP has become a faction with ideological aims that swims against the main current of democratic reform. Hahn has resolved to continue the “Kim Dae-jung spirit” to revive the traditions of the opposition party and provide a framework for a change of administration.

However, the majority of politicians who supported former President Kim Dae-jung do not agree with Hahn’s position. It will be interesting to see how this division in the opposition party right before the regional elections in June will play out.

Is the opposition party ultimately being broken into three parts?

If so, it has no valid response to criticism that certain individuals are trying to win votes and public backing with personal reasons in mind.

Since the start of the Third Republic of South Korea, 142 political parties have been registered with the Central Election Management Committee. Of that number, only 18 still exist today. Most are obscure parties that were created during elections and then disappeared afterward.

Countless parties have disappeared in the form of preparation committees. Right before the general election in 2008, there were 25 registered parties and 19 preparation committees for new parties. But after the election, the number of registered parties dropped to just 15, and most of the preparation committees disappeared before a party was actually formed.

There is no reason to insist on a two-party system.

However, a strong opposition party that firmly stands against the ruling party is absolutely necessary for the development of democratic politics. Opposition party supporters are hoping for a change of administration but are skeptical that it will happen. Disrupting the opposition without clear justification simply for political reasons is a betrayal of party supporters. Needless to say, the Democratic Party - the largest opposition party - is most responsible. It should act like a respectable party by presenting alternatives and outlining its vision.