Yu Uidong: "Floor leader's role is to maximize lawmakers' capabilities... Ddaraowa-style leadership doesn't work"

People Power Party Floor Leader Candidate Relay Interview ④ Representative Yu Eui-dong
Ruling Party's Forced Appointment of Judiciary Committee Chair Lacks Sincerity for Dialogue
If Elected Floor Leader, Yu Eui-dong's Victory Will Signal Party Change

Yu Uidong, Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] "The role of the floor leader is to support maximizing the individual capabilities of the members, not to lead them."

Yoo Ui-dong, a member of the People Power Party who challenged the floor leader election, recently said in an interview with Asia Economy, "The 'follow me' style because the floor leader, the commander of the floor, decided something does not work for first-term lawmakers who entered the 21st National Assembly." He expressed his ambition to establish horizontal leadership between the floor leadership and lawmakers, saying, "The strategies presented by the floor leader should be challenged with 'right, wrong, needs improvement,' and the direction should be adjusted accordingly."

He also revealed a different perspective from other candidates regarding the distribution of standing committee chairmanships in the National Assembly. Yoo said, "Even if we receive all 18 standing committee chairmanships, if the Democratic Party of Korea has no intention to engage in dialogue, the chairmanships will all be used as a frame for obstruction," adding, "The key is not the number of chairmanships but whether the counterpart in state affairs management has sincerity in dialogue." Yoo viewed the issue of the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee as a touchstone to gauge the ruling party's sincerity in dialogue. He warned, "If the ruling party unilaterally holds the election for the Chairperson of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee the day before the main opposition party's floor leader election (the 29th), it is a clear signal that they do not recognize us as political partners."

Yoo said that if he is elected as floor leader, that itself will be a new message. He stated, "Our party is misunderstood and prejudged as being biased to one side, and dispelling this is crucial," adding, "There are ways to deliver messages, but a faster way is to change the messenger."