Acronymic liberalism

Liberals in South Korea are nothing if not practised acronym assemblers and shape shifters: the name of their party has shifted from Uri to UNDP to UDP on merger with the DP -- formerly the MDP -- all within the space of this year.

President Roh Moo-hyun was elected on a Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) ticket in 2002. His supporters then peeled off to form Uri, which has now disintegrated, departing legislators forming the United New Democratic Party (UNDP). The MDP became the DP in 2005. Now, the UNDP and DP look like joining hands before the National Election Commission on November 19, to register as the United Democratic Party (UDP). 

Party-political loyalties in South Korea -- and disloyalties -- are to people and places rather than ideology, the broad church of liberalism having the capacity to contain considerable volatility in its groupings. Liberals coalesce in opposition to the conservative Grand National Party (GNP), but they fall apart over personalities and their personal and regional prejudices.

This can be tough on electoral candidates. Chung Dong-young had his nomination to stand for the presidency confirmed within the UNDP, but finds himself suddenly thrust up against the DP's Rhee In-je. An outsider in the great race to December 19, the latter may now think his prospects lifted, if only from basement to ground floor. His supporters will want him to lead the liberal cohorts from the stronger position of merged parties.

Not all in the UNDP are happy with the deal struck with the DP, which they think depreciates the UNDP’s overwhelming superiority. (The UNDP has 140 seats in parliament; the DP eight). The marriage, if it indeed happens, may yet dissolve, with only weeks to the election.

All it has taken to panic the liberals into acronym action was for a spoiler to show his hand in the GNP. Lee Hoi-chang left his party to stand against front-runner Lee Myung-bak. The threat of a divided vote in the conservative ranks has focused minds among those liberals who think as a result their chances, once miserable, have improved. They hope by rearranging the letters, they stand a better chance of wining the presidency.