SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- The leaders of two opposition parties on Tuesday visited the southwestern city of Gwangju, the key regional base of liberal politicians who vehemently oppose their push for the parties' merger.
Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-left People's Party and Yoo Seong-min of the center-right Bareun Party met at a policy forum involving local members of the two parties.
They used the session to reaffirm their resolve to create a new party prioritizing people's livelihoods and political reform, and reassure skeptics about its prospect as a significant parliament force.
"If asked to give three keywords vis-a-vis the new unified reformist party, I would say they are people's livelihoods, regional economy and the future," Ahn said. "Tackling those issues is the most important task of the new party."
Ahn Cheol-soo (R), the leader of the center-left People's Party, and Yoo Seong-min, the leader of the center-right Bareun Party, hold a press conference in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Jan. 23, 2018. (Yonhap)
Yoo echoed Ahn's remarks.
"One that we should bear in mind is that the new party should be one that addresses the bread-and-butter issues for those undergoing (economic) difficulties," he said. "Though we are now an opposition party, we can hold a casting vote should the merger plan successfully materialize."
Last week, Ahn and Yoo officially declared the merger plan aimed at fostering a middle-of-the-road political group strong enough to face down two major parties -- the ruling Democratic Party and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party.
Observers say the merger, if realized, could help bolster their parliamentary foothold ahead of the gubernatorial and mayoral elections seen as a referendum on President Moon Jae-in's first year in office.
But the plan still faces stiff resistance from within.
The People's Party is torn over the merger issue, with dissenters moving to create their own party in defiance of what they call an unlikely marriage between ideologically different parties. The Bareun Party has also been hit by internal dissension with several lawmakers having defected in protest.
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