Advancement Unification Party (Korean: 선진통일당; Hanja: 先進統一黨) or AUP formerly known as Liberty Forward Party was a conservative political party in South Korea. This party was created by Lee Hoi Chang, the presidential candidate who lost 2007 presidential elections. On 12 February 2008, the party merged with the People First Party.

The party was absorbed by Saenuri Party on 16 November 2012.[citation needed]

Human rights activism

In February–March 2012, just before the scheduled national elections, Liberty Forward Party representative[citation needed] Park Sun-young became active in the "Save My Friend" campaign, a series of protests protesting China's policy of forcibly repatriating North Korean refugees;[1] she went on hunger strike in front of the Chinese embassy in Seoul and was hospitalized after fainting; once she recovered she resumed her efforts to raise awareness about North Korean human rights issues.[2] In April, during a speech at an event hosted by the Korean-American Freedom League, Park criticized the Catholic Association for Peace and Justice, questioning its silence on the plight of North Korean refugees and arguing that the Left's anti-Americanism was distracting from much more serious issues: "Defectors) are ruthlessly being killed, so how can you remain completely silent? In the Republic of Korea, there is a wildfire anti-American movement, but they never make a single critical statement against China."[3]

2012 election

Logo of Liberty Forward Party
Liberty Forward Party headquarters

In the 2012 National Assembly election the party lost all but five of its 18 seats, declining to the fourth position, well behind the left-leaning Unified Progressive Party (which gained seats). Party leader Sim Dae-pyung announced his resignation after the party's poor performance.[4]

Electoral results

Election Leader Constituency Party list Seats Position Status
Votes % Seats +/- Votes % Seats +/- No. +/–
2008 Lee Hoi-chang 984,751 5.72
14 / 245
 new 1,173,463 6.85
4 / 54
 new
18 / 299
 new 4th Opposition
2012 474,001 2.20
3 / 246
 Decrease 11 690,754 3.24
2 / 54
 Decrease 2
5 / 300
 Decrease 13

References

  1. ^ Andrew Salmon "Blindness to N. Koreans' plight". The Korea Times. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Opposition lawmaker taken to hospital during hunger strike". Yonhap News Agency. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  3. ^ "S.Korean lawmaker blasts Catholic ass'n over NK defectors". Dong-a. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  4. ^ Yonhap News Agency. "Ruling party leader pledges new beginning after election win" 12 April 2012

External links