Two-Way Race Between Kwon Seong-dong and Cho Hae-jin for People Power Party Floor Leader Ahead of Female Minority Rule

Election Scheduled for the 8th

Rep. Cho Hae-jin (left) and Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, candidates for the next floor leader of the People Power Party

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] Ahead of the transition to a legislature with a minority ruling party and a majority opposition, the People Power Party's floor leader election will be a two-way contest between lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong and Cho Hae-jin. Lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, who is close to President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, stated that he intends to maintain a tense relationship, while Lawmaker Cho Hae-jin emphasized that he will demonstrate negotiation skills based on trust and respect rather than the ruling party's power logic.

On the 7th, People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong appeared on KBS Radio and said, "I believe the responsibility of the floor leader in the first year of the administration is very important," adding, "We must cooperate where cooperation is possible and maintain a healthy tension so that the party stands at the center of state affairs; only then can both the party and the government thrive."

Kwon said, "I think we should now refrain from using the term 'Yunhaekgwan (Yoon Seok-yeol core associates),'" explaining, "It was a name used as a tool for political attacks. While I am indeed a close aide, I am Kwon Seong-dong, a four-term lawmaker." He added, "I personally judged that regime change was possible through Yoon Seok-yeol, so I supported candidate Yoon from the beginning. If we have achieved regime change, the credit should be acknowledged, but it should be avoided to keep portraying me as someone who is after some vested interests or power."

Earlier, Lawmaker Cho stated at a press conference, "For the Yoon Seok-yeol government, which has raised cooperation and unity as its banner, to achieve results and bear fruit in major state affairs early in its administration, political skills for a grand compromise that overcome the minority ruling party and majority opposition are necessary," adding, "We must establish leadership that can solve problems through dialogue and compromise based on mutual sincerity and trust."

He also appealed for support, saying, "The argument that one is advantageous because they are close to someone powerful or that a person with power should be put forward is a logic we have boringly heard like a recording until now," and "There is no successful example of leadership elected based on such logic and background. Rather, it has only led to the subjugation and incapacitation of the ruling party and its transformation into a rubber stamp, inviting criticism from the opposition that the Blue House is a Yeouido branch office."

The People Power Party floor leader election will be held on the 8th.