Former Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk's move to label girl group Licenne member Wonyi's "Museopno" remark as an Ilbe term has been fueling backlash for days. Conservative opposition parties have lined up to criticize the former leader, and unlike during the earlier Starbucks marketing controversy, Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers have not come to his aid, prompting talk that the former leader and the Rebuilding Korea Party are in a "completely isolated" situation.
In political circles, there is a sense that the former leader's "Museopno" controversy is not just a minor mishap. The assessment is that the former leader, whose political clout plunged after the Pyeongtaek-eul by-election defeat, amplified an overblown controversy out of personal anxiety, compounded by the frustrating state of the Rebuilding Korea Party, where he had been the sole face.
Park Ji-won, a senior figure in the Democratic Party, on the 7th even assessed the former leader as "lonely, isolated." A political source said, "By jumping onto an unnecessary controversy, the former leader hurt the image instead. It seems there was a misjudgment tied to the Ilbe keyword."
Since the Pyeongtaek-eul election loss, the former leader has not been seen around Yeouido. The assessment is that the shock is significant, as the race he had vowed to win ended not in second but in a third-place defeat.
The Rebuilding Korea Party likewise faces unavoidable change. It plans to hold a national convention on the 25th to elect a new party leader and leadership, but there is considerable noise inside and outside the party. Some lawmakers argue for a merger in which the Democratic Party of Korea absorbs it. Even within the reformist party, there is talk of "a party adrift."
A political source said, "With the upcoming general election in mind, at most about a year of working time remains, and it's questionable whether there are Rebuilding Korea Party lawmakers showing real presence," adding, "Even if they merge with the Democratic Party of Korea, it's uncertain they would secure nominations, and the key is how they show presence in the remaining time."
From the Rebuilding Korea Party's standpoint, it can only wait for the Democratic Party of Korea's convention results in Aug. If former leader Jung Chung-rae, who had been proactive about a merger, retakes the helm, the Rebuilding Korea Party's footing could widen. If candidates Kim Min-seok or Song Young-gil seize party control, a merger or integration would mean driving on an unpaved road.
A Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker said, "Expectations for integration with the Democratic Party of Korea are low. The 12 lawmakers have no choice but to band together somehow and hold on until a role emerges again for the former leader."