Reform New Party Vows "Change from Head to Toe... No Merger with People Power Party"

Cheon Haram Holds Press Conference as Acting Party Leader
Apologizes to the Public amid Successive Crises, Including the Jung Ihan Incident

Faced with its greatest crisis since its founding, the Reform New Party has pledged to “change from head to toe,” promising sweeping party reforms and restructuring of its leadership system. The party again drew a clear line against a possible merger with the People Power Party, emphasizing its determination to continue as an independent third-party force.

On the 31st, Cheon Haram, Acting Party Leader of the Reform New Party, held a press conference at the National Assembly and expressed his regrets, stating, “While the party should have found fundamental solutions through deep and painful self-reflection, we failed to present an introspection and countermeasures that would be persuasive to the public.” He went on to say, “We will swiftly fill the leadership vacuum and restore the party's structure and system,” and stressed, “We will continue to build a strategic foundation and reform ourselves in preparation for the 2028 general elections.”

Cheon Haram, Acting Party Leader of the Reform New Party, is speaking at a press briefing on the 31st. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Founded in 2024, the Reform New Party established itself as a third-party force by securing three seats in the 22nd general elections held that same year. However, the party soon fell into crisis after suffering a crushing defeat in the June local elections, winning only one basic council seat, followed by the controversy involving Busan mayoral candidate Jung Ihan’s staged attack incident. After internal conflicts over how to stabilize the party, leader Lee Junseok resigned on the 26th, leading to a leadership vacuum.

Some within the party attributed his resignation to disagreements over Lee’s proposal for a concentrated electoral strategy in southern Gyeonggi Province. In response, Acting Party Leader Cheon clarified, “The proposal to focus on southern Gyeonggi Province was merely an idea and never progressed to internal party discussions,” adding, “Our strategy for the next general election will be shared after consolidating opinions within the party.”

The possibility of a merger with the People Power Party was also dismissed. Acting Party Leader Cheon emphasized, “No one within the party is advocating a merger with the People Power Party,” and reiterated, “There will be no change to our independent course as the only third-party force in the legislature.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.