Professor Jo Dong-yeon, a Working Mom in Her 30s,
Appointed Co-Chair of the Joint Standing Election Committee
Lee Rushes to Recruit External Personnel
'One Team' Election Committee Formation Remains a Challenge
Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, is taking a commemorative photo with Professor Jo Dong-yeon of Seokyeong University, who was recruited as a co-standing election committee chairman, at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is accelerating the reorganization of the election campaign committee with a focus on the 2030 generation and women. On the 30th, the campaign committee appointed Jo Dong-yeon, a 30-year-old working mom and assistant professor in the Department of Military Studies at Seokyeong University, who is a former soldier, as a co-chair of the campaign committee as the first external recruit. With Professor Jo's recruitment, the reorganization of the campaign committee and party personnel has reached its midpoint, and the launch of a ‘Lee Jae-myung-centered agile campaign committee’ is entering the final countdown.
On the morning of the same day, Lee held a press conference at the Democratic Party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, explaining the reason for recruiting Professor Jo, an expert in the aerospace industry, saying, "The aerospace industry is at the center of future industries." Professor Jo is a security expert, a woman in her 30s, and a mother of two children. It appears to be a strategy to catch three rabbits at once: the vulnerable 2030 generation, women, and security issues. Party leader Song Young-gil also said, "She is expected to play a significant role in giving great hope to women blocked by the glass ceiling," and added, "She will communicate with 2030 women and mothers about their pain and provide a vision to many young people dreaming of future venture companies." Until now, Song has served as the standing co-chair of the campaign committee, but with Professor Jo's recruitment, a joint standing co-chair system has now been established.
On the 21st, Lee was entrusted with full authority over the reorganization of the campaign committee and the party and began a swift talent recruitment process. Key figures such as Assemblyman Jo Jeong-sik, the standing general election campaign headquarters chief, and Assemblyman Park Hong-geun, the chief secretary, resigned one after another, expanding Lee's room for maneuver. Lee established a so-called ‘home front system’ where his influence operates in key party positions. He appointed close aides Assemblymen Kim Young-jin and Kang Hoon-sik as secretary-general and political coordination chief, respectively. Newly appointed Secretary-General Kim expressed his intention to simplify the campaign committee's 16 headquarters into 6 to 7 and establish a rapid response system. However, the floor leader group responsible for legislation will be maintained to handle livelihood bills. The remaining issue is whether to retain or replace other major political positions such as the policy committee chair and chief spokesperson, who resigned en masse.
The recruitment of external personnel for the campaign committee is also expected to accelerate. On the 28th, the Gwangju campaign committee appointed a youth co-chair. Nam Jin-hee, a high school senior who gained voting rights for the first time this year, was appointed as co-chair, and except for Assemblyman Song Gap-seok, all members were filled with the 2030 generation.
However, the formation of a ‘one-team campaign committee’ remains a challenge, as a meeting with former leader Lee failed to materialize during the 3-night, 4-day Honam tour starting on the 26th. Considering this, on the 27th, Lee appointed Assemblyman Oh Young-hoon, a close aide of former leader Lee Nak-yeon, as the new chief secretary, and Assemblyman Yoon Gun-young, known as President Moon Jae-in’s ‘right-hand man,’ as political affairs chief to seek chemical bonding. In a radio interview on the morning of the 30th, newly appointed political coordination chief Kang Hoon-sik addressed concerns about difficulties in forming a ‘one-team’ by saying, "There are no lingering grudges between candidates. The Democratic Party fights hard when necessary, but once it's over, we come together cleanly. Former leader Lee understands it this way as well."
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