Draft:Freedom and Innovation Party

Freedom and Innovation Party

자유와혁신
Freedom and Innovation Party 자유와혁신
Abbreviation	FIP
Leader	Hwang Kyo-ahn
General Secretary	Heo Jin-kyung
Founder	Hwang Kyo-ahn
Founded	12 July 2025
Split from	People Power Party
Headquarters	3rd floor, Bokjo Building, 19 Cheongpa-ro 45-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Membership (2025)	2,500
Ideology	Right-wing populism; Anti-communism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
Colours	Navy blue; Red
National Assembly	0 / 300
Website
	www.forthefreedom.kr
	Politics of South Korea; Political parties; Elections;

The Freedom and Innovation Party (FIP; Korean: 자유와혁신; lit. Liberty and Innovation) is a right-wing populist political party in South Korea founded on 12 July 2025 by former Prime Minister and Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn after he left the People Power Party.

History

On 9 April 2025, Hwang Kyo-ahn announced his decision to leave the People Power Party, citing disillusionment with it and allegations of election fraud. On 6 June 2025, Hwang Kyo-ahn held a founding congress in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, laying the groundwork for the party's formal launch. Key priorities of a new party included "eradicating anti-state forces" and ensuring the legitimacy of elections.^[1]

On July 12, 2025, the party's founding convention was held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Attendees included approximately 2,500 party members. Hwang Kyo-ahn was unanimously elected as party leader. In his acceptance speech, he declared that he would "uphold Syngman Rhee's spirit of freedom and Park Chung-hee's spirit of innovation", and that his primary goals were "to protect liberal democracy and replace the regime". He also outlined seven key tasks of the party, including "eradicating electoral fraud, rooting out anti-state forces, guarding against North Korean and Chinese influence, and preparing for unification".^[2]

The founding convention also included an election for the Supreme Council of the party. Joo Eun-sook, a female candidate and representative of the Shareholder Marketing Research Institute, was elected to the Supreme Council. Following the founding convention, Hwang Kyo-ahn announced plans to expand the party's organization to establish branches in 17 cities and provinces nationwide. He stated that the organization would first focus on key regions such as Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon, before expanding to Jeju, Gangwon, Chungcheong, and Honam.^[3]

Ideology

Hwang Kyo-ahn stated his intention to "eradicate election fraud," "cleanse anti-state forces and protect liberal democracy," and "strengthen the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States and establish a solid national security system." He advocated improving North Korea's human rights record, preparing for free reunification, normalizing public education, and expanding measures to address the low birth rate.

Hwang Kyo-ahn said the FIP would seek to replace the People Power Party as the main conservative party, criticising the PPP for incompetence.^[4]