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Conservative party needs to start from ground zero
Even without reading the public's mind after its disastrous defeat in the June 13 local elections, the main opposition Liberal Korea Party (LKP) is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic to the sigh of voters who supported it.
The leading conservative party's acting chief, Rep. Kim Sung-tae, declared Monday he would disband the party's central headquarters _ not the party itself _ in a symbolic measure of reform and would change the name of the party.
The headquarters Rep. Kim referred to is the governing body of a political party with the authority to set up the process for candidate nomination and execute general affairs for the party.
The acting chief's remarks seem to indicate no party members are responsible for the humiliating defeat by holding only the governing body accountable. Any habitual change of party name or restructuring of the central leadership in Seoul is not expected to help revive the conservative force.
Kim's "lopsided" idea immediately sparked resistance from most party lawmakers, forcing the already staggering party into a deep-rooted factional feud and adding to the disappointment of the people.
To date, the LKP's miserable defeat stemmed from a failure to break with the pro-Park Geun-hye faction involved in her regime's corruption and maladministration.
The party members, either novice lawmakers or multi-term ones dubbed seniors, should make a fresh start from ground zero after dissolving their party _ if they can read the minds of the people.
After giving up their vested rights, the party members have to invite public figures from all spectrums of life who can help keep the values of real conservatism, instead of worn-out ideology, with a new vision.
They have to turn over a new leaf and create a completely different party and then wait for the people's judgment. If they do so, and the people feel the sincerity in their efforts, conservative voters will return.
