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Free Korea 21

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Free Korea 21
자유한국21
AbbreviationKEP
PresidentChoi Jong-ho
Kim Kyung-se
Founded14 March 2016
Registered21 March 2016
Dissolved6 March 2021
Merged intoFree Democratic Party [ko]
HeadquartersHanseo River Park 1512, Yeouiseo-ro, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul
Membership (2018)6,834
IdeologyConservatism (South Korean)[citation needed]
Colours  Orange
Website
http://www.k-ecoparty.kr/

Free Korea 21 was a conservative political party in South Korea led by Choi Jong-ho and Kim Kyung-se.

History

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The party was founded as the Pro-Ban Unification Party (Korean: 친반통일당) on 14 March 2016, in order to endorse the-then Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon for the upcoming presidential election.[1] In 2016 election, the party nominated 6 candidates — 2 for constituencies (including the former Cheongju Mayor Han Dae-soo)[2] and 4 for proportional representations, in which no one was elected.

Following the election defeat, it changed its name to the Pro-Ban Nation Hope Union (친반국민희망연합) on 29 November.[3] It again changed to the Party for National Hope (국민희망당) on 31 January 2017[3] shortly after Ban declared to not seek for the presidential election. On 13 April, it then adopted a new name Economic Patriots (Korean: 경제애국당), with electing the President of Haha Group Oh Young-guk as its presidential candidate.[3] Oh received 6,040 votes (0.01%), making him as the candidate with the fewest votes since 1948.[4]

The party then reverted its former name on 29 October 2019[5] and again to the Korea Economic Party (Korean: 한국경제당) on 2 March 2020 as a "refoundation".[6] Prior to the 2020 election, the Gangnam 3rd MP Lee Eun-jae, joined this party, making the party with a parliamentary representation.[7] Lee, who was elected under the Saenuri (then United Future Party) banner in 2016, joined the Christian Liberal Unification Party (CLUP) after lost at preselection.[7] However, she also withdrew from the CLUP following her elimination due to her Buddhist identity.[8]

After the party did not gain any seats in the election, sources reported that Lee had already exited from the party.[9]

The party was renamed to Free Korea 21 on 14 December 2020, and voted to merge into the new Freedom and Democratic Party [ko] on 6 March 2021.

Policies

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The party describes itself as "centre-right"[10][11] and critical of the United Future Party. Originally a pro-Ban party, it has renounced its pro-Ban stance in 2017.[12]

2016 election manifesto

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For the 2016 election, the party promised a constitutional amendment, from the 5-year non-renewable presidential system to the American-style 4-year renewable presidential system with reinstating the vice presidency.[1]

2017 presidential election manifesto

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Following are a part of the manifestos of Oh Young-guk.[13]

  • Building South Korea as the leading country of Northeast Asia
  • Building the "Korean identity" by ethnic integration and stopping wars
  • Recover all credit delinquers
  • Pardoning all imprisoned criminals, as well as removing all criminal records 3 years from the enforcement ends (not applicable for brutal crimes i.e. murder, rape, robbery and assault)

2020 election manifesto

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For the 2020 election, the party promised to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, adopting it as its "1st manifesto".[14][10]

Election results

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President

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Election Candidate Votes % Result
2017 Oh Young-guk 6,040 0.02 Not elected

Legislature

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Election Leader Constituency Party list Seats Position Status
Votes % Votes % No. +/–
2016 Lee Moon-yong 9,394 0.04 9,710 0.04
0 / 300
new 21st Extra-parliamentary
2020 Choi Jong-ho
Kim Kyung-se
48,807 0.17
0 / 300
Steady 0 18th Extra-parliamentary

References

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  1. ^ a b 친반통일당 창당, '5년 대통령 단임제를 4년 중임제'로의 헌법을 개헌하겠다. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  2. ^ 새누리 탈당 한대수, 친반통일당 입당 출마(종합). 25 March 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b c 하하그룹 오영국 회장, 사기 전과 재조명…"경영 중 일어난 일 책임진 것". 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  4. ^ 더불어민주당 문재인 후보 제19대 대통령 당선. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  5. ^ 중앙당 변경등록 공고(경제애국당). 29 October 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  6. ^ 중앙당 변경등록 공고(불교연합당, 한국경제당). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  7. ^ a b 이은재, 미래통합당-기독자유통일당 돌아 '한국경제당' 입당 '비례 1번. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  8. ^ [단독]불자인가 교인인가…이은재, 기독자유통일당 공천 탈락. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  9. ^ "피가 모자라…" 이은재, 한국경제당 탈당. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  10. ^ a b 고재만 (1 March 2020). 중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언. Maeil Business Newspaper.
  11. ^ 한국경제당 창당… 통합당 공천 탈락 의원 합류. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  12. ^ "CLNTV미디어 선거로 승부 걸라! 경제애국당 김경세 대표와 오영국 대통령 후보 등(월기총사랑방송; 9)". 14 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  13. ^ 하하그룹 회장 오영국, 백수트 입고 세상에 없던 10대 공약 낭독. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  14. ^ 중도 우파 표방 한국경제당, 3일 창당 선언. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
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