"'Not a Purge of Non-Yoons,' but Criticism Within the Ruling Party... 'This is Ridiculous' (Summary)"

Kim Woong, Kim Eun-hye Borrow 'Private Talk' Saying "This Is Ridiculous"
Heo Eun-ah "Issue of Public Party Trust"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] The People Power Party held the first meeting of the Special Committee for Organizational Strengthening (Sogangteukwi) on the 9th and decided to begin the recruitment process for vacant party district chair positions. However, seemingly aware of criticism that this is a 'purge of non-Yoon (비윤) members,' the recruitment will be conducted only for 66 districts, excluding three districts including Nowon-byeong where former party leader Lee Jun-seok served as district chair. Nonetheless, there has been ongoing criticism within the party regarding the decision to hold additional recruitment even for districts appointed during Lee’s tenure.

Kim Seok-ki, Secretary-General of the People Power Party and chair of the Sogangteukwi, told reporters after holding a closed-door first meeting at the Yeouido party headquarters that day, "We have decided to accept additional applications for 66 districts, excluding the total 69 vacant districts and three districts where the district chair’s party membership has been suspended."

The three districts refer to Nowon-byeong, where former leader Lee Jun-seok served as district chair; Gangseo-byeong, where Kim Cheol-geun, former chief of staff to the party leader and a close aide, served; and the Gyeonggi Dongducheon-si Yeoncheon-gun district, where lawmaker Kim Seong-won, who received a party membership suspension for a 'flood-related gaffe,' serves as district chair.

Excluding these three districts from the recruitment target appears to be a response to criticism that the current organizational restructuring is aimed at purging Lee Jun-seok faction and non-Yoon faction district chairs. When asked about such suspicions, Chair Kim responded, "I think that is an impossible situation."

However, with the additional recruitment proceeding for 13 districts, including the constituencies of former Supreme Council member Jeong Mi-kyung (Bundang-eul) and lawmaker Heo Eun-ah (Dongdaemun-eul), who were appointed as district chairs during Lee’s tenure, it has become difficult to completely dispel suspicions of a 'non-Yoon purge.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

After the announcement, lawmaker Heo also posted on her social network service (SNS), "Even though the organizational chairs were appointed six months ago, it is hard to accept that the additional recruitment includes districts decided by the normal party’s Sogangteukwi, conducted by the emergency committee’s Sogangteukwi," adding, "I believe the party will not undermine its own credibility as a legitimate political party regarding matters decided through official party procedures."

Kim Woong, a People Power Party lawmaker known to be part of the pro-Lee Jun-seok faction, shared an article about the Sogangteukwi results on SNS and directly criticized it by saying, "This is ridiculous." He also added the hashtag '#ThisIsASideTalk_EthicsCommittee.' The phrase "This is ridiculous" refers to a private conversation among presidential office chiefs during a parliamentary audit the previous day, which Kim Eun-hye, presidential chief secretary for public relations, explained as a 'side talk' amid controversy.

Regarding the reason for the additional recruitment, Chair Kim said, "Applications for district chairs were already accepted 5 to 6 months ago, and circumstances may have changed during that time," adding, "Those who have already applied do not need to submit any new documents or go through other procedures. Only new applicants will be accepted."

Accordingly, the People Power Party will announce the additional recruitment for one week starting from the 10th, followed by a two-day period for document submission. Chair Kim said, "I believe filling the vacant districts as soon as possible will help strengthen the party’s capabilities," and added, "During next week’s additional recruitment, we will also review the 221 candidates who have already applied, and once the additional recruitment is complete, we will conduct a thorough overall review." The second meeting of the Sogangteukwi is scheduled for early next week.