Lee Jun-seok Told People’s Party "Don’t Treat Me Like a Rookie" and Recommended a 'Mid' Series

"Lee Jun-seok Looks Like an Immature Kid, So No Response Comes Out"
"More Focused on Lee Jun-seok Than the Desire for Opposition Unity"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Amid difficulties in the merger negotiations between the People Power Party and the People Party, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, expressed dissatisfaction toward the People Party, saying, "Don't treat me like a rookie." Lee also quoted a line from the American war drama Band of Brothers to urge proper respect toward himself.

On the 4th, Lee wrote on his Facebook, "I recommend this to the People Party," quoting a famous line from Band of Brothers.

The line Lee mentioned is "We salute the rank, not the man," which Captain Sobel said to Major Winters, who was once his subordinate and hesitated to salute first. It means to respect the current rank regardless of past relations.

Lee said, "Because Lee Jun-seok is seen not as the party leader but as a reckless rookie, normal questions do not receive normal answers," and pointed out, "Rather than the cause of the merger or the public’s desire for opposition unity, they are just fixated on Lee Jun-seok."

He continued, "So they openly interfere in the other party’s leadership election to bring Lee Jun-seok down, and even now, they are calling him a reckless rookie," he claimed.

In the American war drama "Band of Brothers," Captain Sobel (above) is seen saluting Major Winters, who was once his subordinate / Photo by Social Networking Service (SNS) capture

The People Power Party and the People Party have been negotiating a merger for about four months since the April 7 Seoul mayoral by-election, but progress has been difficult. Amid this, Lee pressured by mentioning his vacation period, saying, "Let's finish the negotiations by the 8th," which led the People Party to respond, "Is your vacation schedule that important?" escalating into a conflict of emotions.

Kwon Eun-hee, floor leader of the People Party and head of the merger working-level negotiation team, wrote on Facebook on the 1st, "I didn’t know Lee’s vacation schedule was more important than next year’s presidential election for a better regime change," and criticized, "Unaware of this, the People Party’s schedule this week was fully packed with efforts to find the mastermind behind the 'Kim Kyung-soo-Dru King 19th presidential election opinion manipulation'."

Kwon Eun-hee, Floor Leader of the People's Party / Photo by Yonhap News

She added, "I hope Lee enjoys his vacation," and said, "If after the vacation, which Lee announced as an inviolable schedule to the entire opposition, he comes forward as the leader of the main opposition party to work with the People Party to identify the mastermind behind the comment manipulation and fulfill his role in restoring democracy, we will meet."

In response, on the 3rd, Lee retorted, "I’m not interested in Kwon’s thoughts and expect Ahn Cheol-soo to clarify whether he supports the merger or not. Why can’t the People Party answer yes or no?" Kwon replied, "Is it right for a party with 103 seats to say to a party with 3 seats, 'Just answer yes or no'?"

On the same day, Kwon emphasized, "There is only a unilateral order of power, and minorities and the weak must either submit or be rejected in this jungle order. If so, my answer is naturally NO."