Cho Kuk's party a force to reckon with after dark horse victory

Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk, center, and party members who won proportional representative seats on Thursday walk near the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, holding signs demanding the prosecution summon and investigate first lady Kim Keon Hee. The demonstration followed a press conference in which the party gave a ″last warning″ to prosecutors. [NEWS1]

Former Justice Minister Cho Kuk's liberal Rebuilding Korea Party emerged as a third force in Wednesday's election by securing 12 of the 46 proportional representative seats.

This brings the liberal bloc to more than 180 parliamentary seats combined, with the Democratic Party (DP) and its satellite Democratic United Party clinching 175 spots. The dark horse victory came just over a month after the convicted party leader launched the party ahead of the general election.

Support for Cho’s party was especially strong in the Jeolla region, a liberal stronghold.

According to the National Election Commission, Cho’s party gained 47.72 percent of votes in Gwangju and 43.97 percent in South Jeolla amongst parties running for proportional representative seats. The Democratic United Party received 36.26 percent of votes in Gwangju and 39.88 percent in South Jeolla. The Rebuilding Korea Party also gained the most support for proportional representation seats in North Jeolla with 45.53 percent.

The high support for Cho’s party was seen as a deliberate choice, reflecting the public’s antipathy toward the government and the PPP, as well as its disappointment toward the DP. Observers pointed out that the third party's harsher criticism of the Yoon government, which has been campaigning on reforms urging judgment against the “incompetent” government, has also brought the supporters of Cho’s party together.

In the proportional race for 46 seats, the PPP’s sister People Future Party gained 37 percent, followed by the DP’s satellite Democratic United Party with 27 percent and Cho’s Rebuilding Korea Party with 24 percent.

Following the announcement of election results, Cho held a press conference on Thursday calling for a prompt summoning of first lady Kim Keon Hee over her Dior bag scandal.

“Prosecutors would know that the harsh judgment reflected by the election result also pertains to them,” Cho said in a press conference in front of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Thursday afternoon. Cho added that the request to summon first lady Kim is an order made by the public — rather than his party — as shown by the election result.

“If the prosecutors do not follow the people’s order, the Rebuilding Korea Party will pursue bills to enable special counsel probes into first lady Kim.”

Cho said that unlike the special counsel bill to investigate first lady Kim vetoed by Yoon in January, which only included her alleged involvement in stock manipulation, the new special counsel bill would also include allegations regarding the Dior bag scandal and the Yangpyeong highway project.

Kim has kept a low profile for about four months since accompanying President Yoon Suk Yeol for a state visit to the Netherlands in December after accusations of her receiving a Dior bag as a gift came to light.

Despite the party's surprise victory, however, uncertainties persist as Cho faces a potential jail term following the Supreme Court's ruling on multiple charges, including falsifying his children's academic credentials to give them a leg up in university admissions.

He announced the launch of his party in February after being sentenced to two years in prison by an appellate court the same month.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]