The Gihuminsaeng Party (Korean기후민생당; lit. Climate People's Life Party), formerly Minsaeng Party (Korean민생당; lit. People's Life Party), is a conservative liberal political party in South Korea based in the Honam region.

Climate People's Life Party
기후민생당
LeaderSeo Jin-hee
Secretary-GeneralKim Chang-wan
Founded
  • 24 February 2020 (2020-02-24)
  • 19 March 2024 (2024-03-19)[a]
Merger of
Ideology
Political positionCentre[4][5][6] to centre-right[7][8]
Colours  Green
National Assembly
0 / 300
Metropolitan Mayors and Governors
0 / 17
Municipal Mayors
0 / 226
Provincial and Metropolitan Councillors
0 / 824
Municipal Councillors
0 / 2,927
Website
minsaengdang.kr
Gihuminsaeng Party
Hangul
기후민생당
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGihuminsaengdang
McCune–ReischauerGihuminsaengdang
Minsaeng Party
Hangul
민생당
Hanja
民生黨
Revised RomanizationMinsaengdang
McCune–ReischauerMinsaengdang

History

edit

The party was formed on 24 February 2020 by the merger of three parties—Bareunmirae Party, New Alternatives and Party for Democracy and Peace. Ten days before, all three parties agree to be merged and re-founded as a new party.[9]

Originally, the party was planned to be formed as the Democratic Unified Party (민주통합당) on 17 February.[9] However, on the day of the agreement, the Bareunmirae President Sohn Hak-kyu showed his objection.[9] In addition, on 18 February, the National Election Commission did not allow the upcoming party to use the name as it sounds similar to the extra-parliamentary United Democratic Party.[10]

All three parties then again signed the agreement after the leaderships of all of them decided to resign on 20 February.[11] On 24 February, 3 parties were finally merged and officially re-founded with the current name.[12]

It lost all seats in the 2020 election.[13]

In the 2021 by-elections, the party President Lee Su-bong contested for the Seoul mayorship.[14][15] Despite his less supports, he was able to appear on television debates, as Ahn Cheol-soo, who contested under the banner of its predecessor, Bareunmirae Party, received 19.55% 3 years ago.[14][15] Nevertheless, he received 0.23% and came far behind of Park Young-sun and Oh Se-hoon, and even Huh Kyung-young.[16]

On 19 April 2021, the former party president Kim Jung-hwa made an announcement to quit the party, although she mentioned that she has no willingness to retire from politics.[17]

On 4 May 2021, Lee Su-bong was suspended from the party for a year.[18]

On February 8, 2024, Kim Jong-ki, the acting chairman of the DPP's emergency committee, declared the party's commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.[citation needed]

On March 15, the committee suggested renaming the party to "Climate People's Democratic Party," in line with the party constitution.[citation needed] The Central Election Commission confirmed the name change on March 19.[citation needed] Former Chairman Seo Jin-hee was elected as the new party chairman, with Lee Seung-han, Lee Jin, and Nae-hoon as supreme committee members, and Lee Ki-hyun as the National Party Congress chairman. On March 20, Kim Jong-ki released a commentary titled "The Climate People's Party is a party that protects life, democracy, human rights, and the livelihood of ordinary people," which was disseminated via media outlets.[19] According to a court search, an appeal was lodged following the Supreme Court's 2024 decision, case number 2024 Na 2015771. Finally, on March 22, Seo Jin-hee was officially announced as the representative following the resolution from March 19, and the general secretary position was declared vacant.[20]

Political position

edit

The party has a support base among elderly and socially conservative Christians in the Honam region.[21] The Democratic Peace Party, a former Honam regionalist party, strongly opposed abortion, but Minsaeng Party has no official position on abortion.

On the LGBT issue, MPs expressed their opposition to same-sex marriage, but criticized some socially conservative member of the Democratic Party of Korea's hostile tendencies toward LGBT people.[22]

Election results

edit
Election Leader Constituency Party list Seats Position Status
Votes % +/- Votes % +/- No. +/–
2020 Kim Jung-hwa
Yu Sung-yup
415,473 1.5 new 758,778 2.7 new
0 / 300
new 6th Extra-parliamentary
2024 Kim Jung-hwa
Yu Sung-yup
0 / 300

Notes

edit
  1. ^ as Gihuminsaeng Party

References

edit
  1. ^ "민생당 중도개혁 정신으로 총선 승리". 매일노동뉴스 (in Korean). 25 February 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ 손학규·정동영 등 칩거 민생당, 대선 국면 전환점 노리나. No Cut News. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  3. ^ 인터넷신문, 전북일보 (24 February 2020). 호남기반 '민생당' 출범…전북 출신 의원 공동대표에. Jeonbuk Ilbo [ko] (in Korean). Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  4. ^ Jung Da-min (2 April 2020). "Political parties officially kick off election campaigns". The Korea Times.
  5. ^ Bisbee, Cory (17 April 2020). "COVID-19 Factor Powers South Korea's Ruling Party to Historic Victory". The Diplomat.
  6. ^ Ser Myo-ja (13 March 2020). "DP to join initiative to form satellite party". Korea JoongAng Daily.
  7. ^ Yi, Joseph; Lee, Wondong (22 April 2020). "After the 2020 Parliamentary Elections, What's Next for South Korean Politics?". The Diplomat.
  8. ^ Sanghun Lee (9 July 2020). "The substance of a Korean Green New Deal is still being defined". Eco Business. During South Korea's parliamentary election in mid-April, which was the world's first national election amid the pandemic, the ruling centrist Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the centre-right Party for People's Livelihoods (PPL), the centre-left Justice Party (JP) and the left Green Party Korea (GPK) all made pledges around a "Green New Deal"
  9. ^ a b c 민주통합당 vs 안철수 국민의당…여당의 호남 상대는 누구?. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  10. ^ 선관위, "호남신당 '민주통합당' 당명 사용불가" 유권해석. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  11. ^ 바른미래·대안·평화 24일 합당…손학규 포함 지도부 사퇴. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  12. ^ '호남계 주축' 바른미래·대안신당·평화당 3당 합당…'민생당' 출범. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  13. ^ 민생당, 창당 두달만에 교섭단체서 원외정당으로…사실상 '소멸'. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  14. ^ a b 박·오에 가려졌던 민생당 이수봉, 3자 토론서 의외의 존재감. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b 박영선·오세훈 다 때린 미친 존재감, 민생당 이수봉이 누구야?. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  16. ^ 허경영 1% 벽 넘었다…'모두 까기' 이수봉 0.23%. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  17. ^ 김정화, 민생당 탈당… "이상과 꿈은 내려놓지 않을 것". 19 April 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  18. ^ 민생당, 이수봉 비대위원장 징계 두고 내홍. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  19. ^ 기후민생당 "생명과 민주주의, 인권, 서민의 민생을 지키는 정당" 논평발표. 브레이크뉴스. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  20. ^ 공고 | 위원회소식 | 알림마당 | 중앙선거관리위원회. www.nec.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 24 March 2024.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ 목포 기독교 교계 지도자들 "민생당 박지원 후보 지지" 선언. 호남타임즈. 10 April 2020.
  22. ^ 민주당 "성소수자 문제 소모적" 발언에 민생·정의 "차별적 인식". KBS NEWS. 7 March 2020.