Sungjoong Park and Mikyung Jeong Hold Press Conference for Candidacy at National Assembly on 30th
Former Youth Chief Yongtae Kim Officially Expected to Run on 31st
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Declarations of candidacy for the 3·8 People Power Party (PPP) Supreme Council member election are coming one after another. With candidate registration for the party convention scheduled for February 2-3, competition is heating up for the five Supreme Council member seats.
Former and Current National Assembly Members, Relay Declarations
On the 5th, PPP lawmaker Park Seong-jung held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office, emphasizing 'media reform' and victory in the metropolitan area in the general election as he declared his candidacy. He is the third within the party after lawmakers Ji Seong-ho and Tae Young-ho.
Park said, "Although we succeeded in regime change under the banner of justice and fairness, the giant Democratic Party controlling the National Assembly is obstructing the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's reforms at every turn, and the distorted reporting by left-leaning media is deceiving the public," adding, "Without media reform, including left-wing broadcasting, neither the success of the Yoon government nor victory in the general election is possible."
As the secretary of the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee, Park also pointed out that there is no ruling party Supreme Council member within the committee. He said, "Currently, the National Assembly's Science and Technology Committee, which should oversee the fairness of public broadcasting, has four Democratic Party Supreme Council members, and Jeong Cheong-rae, Lee Jae-myung's running mate, is the committee chair," adding, "Give me the power to stop the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions' media union from monopolizing public broadcasting and spreading distorted and biased reports."
As the head of the PPP Seoul City Party Committee, he also promoted the 'metropolitan area general election victory theory.' He expressed confidence, saying, "I have a proven winning formula that led to three consecutive victories in Seoul: the mayoral by-election, the presidential election, and the local elections."
However, he distanced himself from lawmakers Ahn Cheol-soo and Yoon Sang-hyun, who also claim to represent the metropolitan area. After the press conference, Park told reporters that the metropolitan area theory of the two party leadership candidates is "something anyone can claim as an election strategy. I mean that I am the leading metropolitan area candidate among the Supreme Council members."
Former Supreme Council member Jeong Mi-kyung also officially declared her candidacy for the Supreme Council election that morning. Actively involved in broadcasting activities, Jeong described herself as "the right person to persuade the public well." She emphasized, "The Democratic Party is increasingly using lies and fake information as tools to incite hostility and hatred in our society," adding, "I will be the best shield to protect the Yoon government and the People Power Party by confronting lies with honesty and serving as one pillar of the Supreme Council."
Jeong further explained, "The Lee Jun-seok leadership fundamentally had the mission to achieve regime change, and they accomplished it," adding, "This leadership must also be prepared to win the election at all costs and become the majority party in the general election. The key is to win the election." Jeong served as a Supreme Council member during Lee Jun-seok's tenure as party leader.
Additionally, Min Young-sam, director of the Social Integration Strategy Institute, and Ok Ji-won, vice-chair of the PPP Central Committee Youth Division, also announced their candidacies for Supreme Council member at the National Assembly Communication Office on the same day.
Back to the Lee Jun-seok Leadership?…Park Seong-jung Says "If You Have Conscience, You Should Withdraw"
As more than half of the leadership from Lee Jun-seok's era have expressed their intention to run for Supreme Council member, concerns are rising that it might become a 'return to the Lee Jun-seok regime.' Former Supreme Council member Kim Jae-won declared his candidacy on the 25th, former Supreme Council member Jeong declared on this day, and former youth Supreme Council member Kim Yong-tae is scheduled to officially announce his candidacy at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 31st. Lawmaker Jo Soo-jin is also reportedly considering running. If Jo also runs, four out of five Supreme Council members from Lee's leadership will be candidates in this party convention.
At his candidacy press conference, Park Seong-jung stated, "We must not become the Lee Jun-seok leadership season 2 that ruined the party," adding, "The former leadership, which shielded and neglected Lee while looking out for their own power, should withdraw if they have any conscience."
Park added, "I think the former leadership failed overall in managing the party, yet many Supreme Council members who participated in it are trying to run," and "Supreme Council members should each take charge of a specific area to reform and change the party, so there is hope for the general election."
Meanwhile, declarations of candidacy for Supreme Council member are expected to continue until February 1. On the 31st, former youth Supreme Council member Kim and lawmaker Lee Man-hee have scheduled press conferences at the National Assembly Communication Office, and on February 1, former Supreme Council member Ryu Yeo-hae has also scheduled a press conference.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
