"Repeatedly Called for Candidate No. 2..." Party Members Supporting Lee Jun-seok Criticize Transition to Emergency Committee

"Illegal and Forced Emergency System Implementation Without Procedure"

Shin In-gyu, former full-time deputy spokesperson of the People Power Party, is speaking at a large debate hosted by "Restoring the People Power Party" (Gukbose), attended by party members supporting Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, at a cafe in Yeouido, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] On the 8th, 'Gukminuihim Baro Seugi (Gukbase)', a group of party members supporting Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, held a debate criticizing the transition to an emergency committee system that leads to Lee's 'automatic dismissal.'

Gukbase held a debate on the theme "Who is the owner of the People Power Party?" at a cafe in Yeouido, Seoul, on the same day. Shin In-gyu, former full-time deputy spokesperson of the People Power Party who led the Gukbase meeting, said, "Conservatives value law and principles. The law within the party is the party constitution and regulations. However, the party constitution and regulations are not being strictly observed," and criticized, "The sovereignty delegated to the party leader by party members through elections, which is the basis of democracy, is collapsing."

The People Power Party's Standing National Committee declared the party situation an "emergency" on the 5th and decided to transition to an emergency committee system. The People Power Party plans to hold a national committee meeting on the 9th to approve an amendment to the party constitution that grants the authority to appoint the emergency committee chairman, currently held by the party leader and acting party leader, also to the acting party leader. After the emergency committee chairman is appointed and the emergency committee officially launches, Lee will lose his position as party leader.

Former deputy spokesperson Shin pointed out that "If the owners of the party are the members of the National Assembly, decisions can be made at the members' meeting, but if they are party members, the party convention cannot be ignored," and criticized that deciding the party leadership system through a members' meeting instead of a party convention is procedurally inappropriate.

A participant who identified as a responsible party member said, "What is the current presidential approval rating? Why has the approval rating dropped? During the last presidential and local elections, I shouted number 2 thousands of times, but I regret that moment," criticizing, "Old-fashioned politicians are stubbornly acting for themselves rather than the people, dividing factions, and entering an emergency system illegally and arbitrarily without procedures." He continued, "The party leader democratically elected by party members was disciplined without procedures by a subordinate organization called the Ethics Committee and Yoonhakkwan (key associates of President Yoon Seok-yeol)," and raised his voice, saying, "Ignoring political decision-making becomes a dictatorial method."

There was also a party member who urged restraint toward Lee, who announced plans to file an injunction to suspend the effect of the emergency committee's launch. An unnamed female party member in her 70s said, "I came here to dissuade Leader Lee. Fights are necessary when they have value. We should not engage in fights without value," and added, "Political parties tend to lean toward the majority, and even if Lee goes to court, the chances of winning are slim. It is not about losing but about stepping back when the time is not right for the next step."

Lee has announced legal responses, including filing an injunction upon the launch of the emergency committee. He also said he would directly state his position at a press conference on the 13th. At the press conference, he is expected to explain his stance on the emergency committee's launch and future countermeasures.