Kwon Seong-dong Resignation in Sight... Next Floor Leader Candidates Announced

Kim Hak-yong and Yoon Jae-ok Likely... Park Dae-chul, Cho Hae-jin, Kim Tae-ho Also Mentioned

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] As the launch of the People Power Party's new Emergency Response Committee comes into view, attention within the party is focusing on the election of the floor leader. Floor leader Kwon Seong-dong, who announced that he would decide his position after the formation of the new emergency committee, is leaning toward resignation, and behind-the-scenes movements targeting the next floor leader are becoming active. Accordingly, declarations of candidacy for floor leader are expected to follow after the Chuseok holiday.

Within the party, Kwon's resignation is being taken as a foregone conclusion. On the 7th, after the floor countermeasure meeting, Kwon told reporters that the announcement of the new emergency committee chairman would be made "as early as at the party members' meeting." Once the emergency committee chairman is revealed, he must decide his position. People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yong-ho said on the radio that day, "I understand that Floor Leader Kwon has already mentally decided to step down from his position."

As candidates for the next floor leader, 3-term lawmakers Yoon Jae-ok, Cho Hae-jin, Park Dae-chul, and Kim Tae-ho, as well as 4-term lawmaker Kim Hak-yong, are being mentioned. Lawmaker Yoon served as the head of the party's presidential campaign situation room in the last presidential election and is considered close to the 'Yoon faction.' Additionally, as a native of Daegu and Gyeongbuk (TK), the core support base of the People Power Party, he has the advantage of being able to soothe regional public sentiment. He was also considered one of the leading candidates for floor leader during the April primary.

Lawmaker Kim Hak-yong competed with lawmaker Na Kyung-won for the floor leader position during the Liberty Korea Party era in 2018. Considering that previous People Power Party floor leaders were 4- to 5-term lawmakers, there is public opinion that a more senior lawmaker should take the floor leader role. In a phone interview with Asia Economy, Kim said, "I have the will," adding, "Since Floor Leader Kwon has not yet stepped down, I have not publicly announced it. If given the opportunity, I will not refuse."

Park Dae-chul, who was elected chairman of the National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee and served as the head of the campaign support headquarters in the presidential campaign, is also classified as 'pro-Yoon' and is mentioned as a candidate, along with lawmaker Cho Hae-jin, who competed with Floor Leader Kwon in the last election. Additionally, lawmaker Kim Tae-ho, who served as governor of Gyeongnam Province, is also mentioned. He was previously named alongside former committee chairman Joo as a candidate for the new emergency committee chairman.

However, the term of the next floor leadership is expected to become a controversial issue. The floor leader's term is one year, but a new floor leader must be elected during next year's regular National Assembly session. Because of this, there are talks about adjusting the new floor leader's term to end in May next year.