Tense Confrontation Between Jang Je-won and Ahn Cheol-soo Holding Hands
Ethics Committee Disciplinary Outcome Likely to Be a Variable
Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 23rd and checking the time during the meeting. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] The Innovation Committee launched by Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, will hold its first meeting on the 27th and officially begin its activities. With the completion of committee member appointments, the controversy over the 'Lee Jun-seok private organization' has been settled for now, but conflicts between Lee and the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction continue to surface daily. Additionally, the party's Ethics Committee disciplinary procedure related to Lee's alleged 'instruction to destroy evidence of sexual bribery' remains, leading to predictions that the momentum may wane.
According to political circles on the 26th, the People Power Party Innovation Committee will hold its first meeting on the 27th at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, to discuss the committee’s operational direction and schedule. The selection of innovation agendas and tasks is expected to be a major topic. All 15 innovation committee members, including Chairman Choi Jae-hyung and Vice Chairman Cho Hae-jin, will attend the meeting.
The People Power Party approved the formation of the Innovation Committee at the Supreme Council meeting on the 23rd. Within the National Assembly, first-term lawmakers Kim Mi-ae, Seo Jeong-sook, Han Mu-gyeong, and Noh Yong-ho were included. Outside the Assembly, members include Lee Geon-gyu, former president of Jeju Seogwipo Hotel and military veteran; Kim Jong-hyuk, former editor-in-chief of JoongAng Ilbo; Lee Ok-nam, director of the Market Economy and Democracy Research Institute; Jung Hoe-ok, professor of political science and diplomacy at Myongji University; Kim Min-su, former party committee chairman for Bundang-eul, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province; lawyer Chae Myung-sung; former People’s Party Supreme Council member Koo Hyuk-mo; Seoul Metropolitan Council member Kwak Hyang-gi; and Cheon Ha-ram, party committee chairman for Suncheon-gap.
The Innovation Committee plans to accelerate the establishment of intra-party democracy and nomination reform starting with this meeting, but the process is expected to be challenging. The committee is likely to remain at the center of intra-party conflicts as it is labeled a tool to check Lee’s pro-Yoon faction.
On the same day, it is significant that Jang Je-won, a key figure in the pro-Yoon faction, is resuming his forum activities. The ‘Republic of Korea Future Innovation Forum,’ led by Jang, will invite former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in to give a lecture titled ‘Asking the Path of Innovation for the Republic of Korea.’ Inside and outside the party, this is interpreted as a move anticipating the Innovation Committee’s first meeting. Notably, Ahn Cheol-soo, who has recently clashed with Lee over the recommendation of People’s Party members to the Supreme Council, is expected to participate, intensifying intra-party pressure on Lee.
Seemingly aware of this, Lee responded on Facebook on the 24th with a post saying, “Next week, I need to have a bowl of ‘soy sauce.’” In political circles, ‘soy sauce’ is interpreted as a portmanteau combining the first syllable of Ahn’s nickname ‘Gan-cheol-soo’ and Jang’s surname.
The disciplinary procedure by the party Ethics Committee against Lee for instructing the destruction of evidence related to sexual bribery, postponed to the 7th of next month, is also likely to negatively affect the Innovation Committee. The disciplinary review itself will limit Lee’s room to maneuver, and if a sanction is imposed, the reform momentum Lee has promoted could be significantly weakened.
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