| Bareun Party | |
| Foundation: | (as a parliamentary group) (as a political party) |
| Dissolved: | [1] |
| Merged: | Bareunmirae Party |
| Position: | Centre-right Factions: Right-wing |
| Country: | South Korea |
| Native Name: | 바른정당 |
| Leader1 Title: | Leader |
| Leader1 Name: | Yoo Seong-min |
| Leader2 Title: | Floor leader |
| Leader2 Name: | Oh Sin-hwan |
| Leader3 Title: | Secretary General |
| Leader3 Name: | Kim Sung-dong |
| Leader4 Title: | Chairman of the Policy Planning Committee |
| Leader4 Name: | Ji Sang-wook |
| Split: | Saenuri Party |
| Colors: | Sky Blue[2] |
| Flag: | Bareun Party flag.svg |
| Hangul: | 바른정당 |
| Kanji: | 바른政黨 |
| Rr: | Bareunjeongdang |
| Mr: | Parŭnjŏngdang |
| Othername1: | Conservative New Party for Reform |
| Hangul1: | 개혁보수신당 |
| Rr1: | Gaehyeokbosusindang |
| Mr1: | Kaehyŏkposusindang |
The Bareun Party was a conservative[3] [4] [5] political party in South Korea, announced on 27 December 2016 with the defection of 29 anti-Park Saenuri Party lawmakers. It was known as the Conservative New Party for Reform until 8 January 2017.[6]
The party was formed amidst a faction feud in the Liberty Korea Party (then Saenuri Party) involving pro and anti-Park Geun-hye forces.[7] The party began as a parliamentary negotiation body that split from the Saenuri Party in December 2016, and became a party in January 2017.[7]
In January 2018, the party's leader, along with the People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo, announced their plans to merge the two parties, in an effort to bolster the two party's parliamentary standing ahead of local elections in June.[8]
The merger faces opposition from members of both parties, citing concerns over differences in ideology and policy, particularly over differing stances on dealing with North Korea.[8] Nevertheless, the party approved the merger plans on 5 February 2018.[9] The merger is expected to be finalized on February 13.[10]
During its existence, the party suffered from a spate of defections.
By April 2017, the party had already lost 14 lawmakers.[11]
In May, a week before the presidential election, 13 lawmakers affiliated with the party announced their decision to defect and return to the LKP.[11] The decision came after the party's presidential candidate, Yoo Seong-min, declined to join forces with LKP's Hong Joon-pyo and PP's Ahn Cheol-soo and field a single presidential candidate.[11] The defection left the party with just 19 seats in the National Assembly, one short of the 20 required for a political party to be recognized as a negotiating body.[11]
Ahead of a leadership contest in November 2017, an additional eight lawmakers defected, and rejoined the LKP.[12] The eight lawmakers were later joined by the party's floor leader, Joo-Ho-young.[13]
On 9 January 2018, lawmaker Kim Se-yeon,[14] Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil,[15] and lawmaker Park In-sook[15] defected from the party, all of whom rejoined the LKP.[15]