Hong Joon-pyo, a prominent conservative politician who ran in the election as an independent and won, said Thursday that he would rebuild the political right, which is reeling from a crushing defeat in Wednesday’s general elections.

Hong, who was denied candidacy for the conservative main opposition United Future Party, was elected to represent the Suseong-gu constituency of Daegu, a conservative stronghold. He said he would return to the United Future Party as he had promised during his campaign.

“I will rebuild the party and solidify the conservative base,” he said, adding that the next presidential election in 2022 was around the corner. “You don’t win that with a parliamentary majority. It’s about bringing in seasoned politicians and fighters and positioning them. Twenty years of my time in politics tells me that.”

Hong shrugged off the question about whether he would take charge of the United Future Party, whose leader Hwang Kyo-ahn resigned on late Wednesday from all leadership posts to take responsibility for the disastrous election outcome. Hong said he had already served in that position. 

Hong came in second in the last presidential election in 2017, when Moon Jae-in was elected president. In the same year, Hong became chairman of the Liberty Korea Party, the precursor of the United Future Party, but stepped down a year later following a local election defeat.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)