SEOUL, Former ruling party leader Lee Jun-seok and independent lawmaker Yang Hyang-ja agreed Wednesday to merge their parties ahead of April's general elections. Lee quit the ruling People Power Party (PPP) last month and launched the Reformative Conservative Party, while Yang left the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) in 2021 and launched the Hope of Korea party last year. "We agree with each other's vision and values ... and here today, we announce a merger," Yang said during a joint press conference with Lee at the National Assembly. Lee said the two parties have common goals and agreed to carry out political activities together, and plan to finish necessary procedures for the merger as soon as possible. The two parties use the same party color of orange. Political watchers have keenly followed movements of newly formed political parties and whether they will unite under the so-called big tent ahead of the parliamentary elections. Lee Nak-yon, a former prime minister, has also left the DP and an nounced plans to launch a new party that could merge with another new party envisioned by three lawmakers who left the DP. Source: Yonhap News Agency