Another Resurfaced Controversy Over 'Lee Jun-seok Passing'... People Power Party's Volunteer Work in Shantytown Without 'Top 4'

Yoon Seok-yeol, Choi Jae-hyung, Hong Jun-pyo, and Yoo Seung-min Absent Due to Personal Schedules

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, visited the Dongja-dong gosiwon village in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on the 4th to volunteer by distributing water and samgyetang to climate-vulnerable groups susceptible to extreme heat. Photo by the National Assembly Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] The controversy over 'Lee Jun-seok passing' has arisen again as prominent presidential candidates, including former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, largely boycotted the 'Joint Volunteer Activity for Presidential Candidates' organized by Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, on the 4th.

The volunteer activity held in Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu, in the afternoon was attended by eight People Power Party presidential candidates, including Leader Lee, Kim Tae-ho, Ahn Sang-soo, Yoon Hee-sook, Won Hee-ryong, Jang Ki-pyo, Jang Sung-min, Ha Tae-kyung, and Hwang Kyo-ahn (in alphabetical order).

However, former Prosecutor General Yoon, former Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choi Jae-hyung, Congressman Hong Joon-pyo, and former Congressman Yoo Seung-min did not attend.

At around the same time as the volunteer activity, former Prosecutor General Yoon visited Congressman Kwon Seong-dong, who was staging a solo protest at the Blue House urging President Moon Jae-in to apologize for the 'Druking comment manipulation incident.'

Former Chairman Choi could not attend due to preparations for his presidential bid announcement, so his wife, Lee So-yeon, attended the volunteer activity on his behalf.

Congressman Hong was on vacation, and former Congressman Yoo was unable to attend due to personal schedules. As a result, criticism arose that the event was a 'half-hearted' one, with the top four leading candidates in the People Power Party's presidential race largely absent.

Regarding this, Leader Lee expressed displeasure during a meeting with reporters, saying, "Some candidate camps judged that individuals could spend their time better elsewhere, but I don't know what they did instead of attending the party's official schedule."

He added, "Attendance is the candidate's freedom, but this was the party's first event prepared with the intention of serving the people throughout the primary. The public will wonder what could be more important than this." However, regarding former Chairman Choi, he said, "As soon as the schedule was announced, I called to ask for understanding. He really wanted to participate, but since the announcement schedule was set, his spouse wanted to attend instead."

Former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol visited the site of a solo protest by People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong in front of the fountain at Cheongwadae, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 4th, encouraging the protest urging President Moon Jae-in to apologize for the Druking presidential election opinion manipulation scandal. Photo by National Assembly Press Corps

Some have pointed out that the leading candidates might be engaged in a power struggle with the party leadership. Previously, on the 30th of last month, former Prosecutor General Yoon unexpectedly joined the People Power Party while Leader Lee was on a business trip to the provinces, intensifying the Lee Jun-seok passing controversy. At that time, Floor Leader Kim Ki-hyun was also away from the party office on summer vacation.

Regarding this, Leader Lee publicly expressed displeasure in a radio interview on the 2nd, saying, "It is a very regrettable part. I don't know the intention." He added, "Originally, there was prior understanding that former Prosecutor General Yoon would join on the 2nd. It is known that the schedule was changed abruptly, but even so, I think it was a matter that should have been discussed again."

Meanwhile, in response to criticism within the party about the absence from the volunteer activity, Congressman Hong Joon-pyo posted on Facebook that day, saying, "I did not miss the event organized by Leader Lee Jun-seok; this week is the summer vacation week." He added, "I have already publicly announced the vacation and am resting in the provinces, so stirring up intra-party conflict by calling it an absence from the leader's event is clearly intentional."

He further said, "There must be considerable reasons for others' absences as well," and added, "I hope you do not incite intra-party conflict over this."