Seo Byung-su "Lee Jun-seok's Return Impossible"
Jo Hae-jin "Situation Left to Individual Views"
Lee, Legal Actions Including Injunction Application Announced
Seo Byung-su, Chairman of the Standing National Committee of the People Power Party, is attending the 4th Standing National Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] As the transition to an emergency response committee leadership system approaches, differing interpretations have emerged within the People Power Party regarding the possibility of Lee Jun-seok's return as party leader. Amid this, Lee has expressed his intention to file an injunction, signaling the potential escalation into a legal dispute.
On the 5th, the People Power Party held a Standing National Committee meeting, declaring the party's situation as an "emergency" and effectively deciding to transition to an emergency response committee system. Seo Byung-soo, a member of the Standing National Committee and chairman of the National Committee, told reporters after the meeting, "We judged that the current situation the party faces qualifies as an emergency," and added, "We will convene the National Committee on the 9th to deliberate and approve the proposed amendment to the party constitution drafted today." The core of the amendment is to grant the authority to appoint the emergency response committee chairman, currently held by the party leader and acting party leader, also to the acting party leader. If passed, Kwon Seong-dong, acting party leader of the People Power Party, will be able to appoint the emergency response committee chairman.
Although the launch of the emergency response committee has been formalized, the seeds of conflict remain. Divergent interpretations have arisen within the party regarding Lee's possible return. First, Seo firmly stated that Lee Jun-seok's return is impossible. Citing the clause that the existing party leadership dissolves immediately upon the emergency response committee's launch, he said, "Lee cannot return as party leader after his suspension ends." He explained that since the appointed emergency response committee chairman holds the party leader's authority, Lee's position automatically disappears.
However, some lawmakers such as Cho Hae-jin and Ha Tae-kyung argue that it is difficult to conclude Lee's dismissal definitively. Cho, who attended the Standing National Committee meeting, said, "One could argue that the party leader is dismissed once the emergency response committee is launched, or argue that the party leader can return after six months," adding, "I proposed deciding whether to leave the interpretation to individual discretion, and the chairman concluded that the issue should be discussed again later," and stated, "Since the party's official body has not settled this, it has been left to each person's view."
Cho expressed concern, saying, "If the interpretation were unified, there would be no problem, but because positions differ and clash due to political interests, the party is thrown into confusion, and depending on which conclusion is reached, legal issues could arise later."
In fact, the possibility of these concerns materializing has increased as Lee announced legal action that day. According to an SBS report, Lee stated regarding the Standing National Committee's approval of the transition to the emergency response committee, "You can almost assume that an injunction will be filed." On the same day, through his Facebook, Lee also hinted at a direct confrontation, saying, "Recently, when people talk about an honorable conclusion, I always talk about a conclusion without regrets. I hope that conclusion without regrets will also be honorable and serve as a healthy warning to the party and the nation."
On that day, a proposal by lawmakers Cho Hae-jin and Ha Tae-kyung, which included content leaving open the possibility of Lee's return, was also put to a vote at the Standing National Committee but was rejected.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
