Jeon Ju-hye Emergency Committee Chair "Official Party Convention Discussions Start Today"
Party Leadership Candidates Begin Warm-up... Kim Ki-hyun "Ahn's Ink Isn't Even Dry"
Focus on Successor Vice Chairman Election
[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] As legal risks surrounding the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee and additional disciplinary actions against former leader Lee Jun-seok have been decided, the party's leadership candidates have begun their preparations in earnest. The People Power Party plans to soon start preparations for the next party convention.
On the 7th, Emergency Response Committee member Jeon Ju-hye appeared on a radio broadcast and said, "Due to the provisional injunction ruling, the Jeong Jin-seok Emergency Response Committee was unable to formally discuss any important matters," adding, "According to the provisional injunction ruling, from today onward, the Emergency Response Committee or leadership can officially prepare and discuss to some extent the plans for the next party convention." Currently, holding the convention in January or February next year after the regular National Assembly session is likely, but internal opinions on the specific timing are expected to pour in.
Leadership candidates are also gradually voicing their opinions. Lawmakers Kim Ki-hyun and Ahn Cheol-soo, who declared their candidacies early, each posted messages on social networking services (SNS) immediately after the provisional injunction results were announced, saying respectively, "Although belated, it is fortunate that a normal judgment was finally made," and "We must stop division and unite all our strength."
Already, tensions were sensed on the radio that morning. Kim appeared on CBS Radio and said, "Ahn was the leader of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy in 2014, which was the predecessor of the Democratic Party," and added, "Our party's (membership application) ink is not even dry yet," signaling a move to check Ahn.
Jung Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is expressing his position on the dismissal of the injunction to suspend the execution of duties as Emergency Response Committee Chairman at the National Assembly on the 6th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Attention is also focused on the movements of non-incumbent leadership candidates. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, who ranked first in the party representative opinion poll, expressed through SNS the day before that he "respects the court's decision on the provisional injunction." Some speculate that former leader Lee, whose party membership rights have been suspended, blocking his path to run in the party convention, might provide indirect support to Yoo. Former lawmaker Na Kyung-won, who competed with Lee in the last party convention, also received higher support in opinion polls than existing leadership candidates, making her a strong contender.
Five-term lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae, known as a ‘Shin Yun core member’ lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong who stepped back to a second-term position due to the ‘Lee Jun-seok risk,’ Emergency Response Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok, and floor leader Joo Ho-young are also mentioned as next leadership candidates. There are also rumors about the possible recruitment of Minister of Unification Kwon Young-se and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong.
With Emergency Response Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok deciding to resign as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, attention is also focused on the selection of his successor. The People Power Party plans to conclude the election as soon as possible. Floor leader Joo Ho-young said, "We will promptly confirm with Chairman Jeong Jin-seok when he intends to resign and proceed with the follow-up procedures once the date is set," adding, "I think about four days will be needed, but we will decide considering the schedule of the plenary session and others."
Attention is also on former leader Lee Jun-seok's future. Earlier, the People Power Party Central Ethics Committee unanimously decided to impose an additional one-year suspension of party membership rights on Lee. Considering Lee's term ends in June next year, this effectively means he has lost his leadership position. Although there is a possibility he could receive a nomination for the general election the year after next, analysts say the likelihood is low.
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