Assemblyman Lee Won-wook Publicly Targets Lee Jae-myung
Signal of Internal Conflict Over Responsibility for Local Election Defeat
[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] Lee Won-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, targeted Lee Jae-myung, the General Election Committee Chairman who was elected in Gyeyang-eul, Incheon, saying, “Chairman Lee regarded his own election as the highest value and fled to Gyeyang.” He especially said, “Lee Jae-myung’s friend. A glory full of wounds! Congratulations,” and added, “I hope my friend Lee Jae-myung responds to this.”
At around 2 a.m. on the 2nd, Lee posted on his social media service (SNS), “No one looked back at the last presidential election while preparing for the local elections.” In particular, he criticized, “The principle of candidate nomination has collapsed,” targeting Song Young-gil, the Seoul mayoral candidate, and Chairman Lee. Lee served as the Strategic Candidate Nomination Committee Chairman during the local elections. While managing strategic regional nominations, he cut off Song Young-gil, the Seoul mayoral candidate, and indirectly requested Chairman Lee to run in Bundang-gap, but the Emergency Response Committee did not accept this.
Lee said, “Despite opposition from many National Assembly members in the Seoul constituencies, Candidate Song moved his constituency. In the process, the procedure to at least seek understanding from the residents of Gyeyang-eul was omitted, and the residents learned through SNS that Candidate Song had become a Seoul citizen.”
Regarding Chairman Lee’s candidacy in Gyeyang-eul, he said, “Even though a by-election was held in Bundang-gap, his political hometown, he went to find a ‘safe area.’” Lee added, “He emphasized open choice, but the result was as expected. Chairman Lee regarded his own election as the highest value and ‘fled’ to Gyeyang. It was an act that foreshadowed defeat in the Gyeonggi Province governor election.”
He also criticized the Emergency Response Committee, saying, “According to the demands of hardline supporters, Candidate Song had a primary election, and Chairman Lee was given a single strategic nomination. Even though there was a candidate preparing in Gyeyang-eul, why was Candidate Lee Jae-myung given a single strategic nomination without a primary? There was no explanation.” He continued, “Although it was welcomed by hardline supporters, it distanced traditional supporters’ expectations for victory in the local elections. This is because they know that choices that the public cannot accept ultimately become the cause of defeat.”
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