Ha Tae-kyung: "Cheon Ha-ram said he will surpass Lee Jun-seok"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Cheon Ha-ram, the Suncheon party committee chairman affiliated with the 'Lee Jun-seok faction' who ran in the People Power Party leadership election, reportedly said he would "surpass former leader Lee Jun-seok," according to People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung.

On the evening of the 2nd, Ha said on CBS's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Match,' "There is also a case of the student surpassing the master," referring to this statement.

Cheon Ha-ram, Innovation Committee member of the People Power Party, is attending the Innovation Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

His candidacy, as a member of the Lee Jun-seok faction, is analyzed as a means for former leader Lee to exert influence in the leadership election. Cheon, the party committee chairman, is essentially acting as Lee Jun-seok's 'proxy.' However, Cheon reportedly does not like being labeled as a 'proxy.'

Ha said, "When I called candidate Cheon a little while ago, he didn't seem very pleased with being called a proxy. He himself says he will surpass Lee Jun-seok," adding, "He has ability, conviction, and is a very valuable asset to our party."

He evaluated that Cheon Ha-ram's candidacy could serve as an opportunity to bring the 2030 generation to the voting booths. Ha said, "Cheon Ha-ram himself will grow a lot through the leadership election process, and the important thing is that if the 2030 generation votes in the preliminary round, they are highly likely to vote in the final round as well."

In particular, amid the pro-Yoon faction's attacks on lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, Ha warned that the anti-Yoon-leaning 2030 generation's votes could concentrate on Ahn in the final vote. He said, "The 2030 generation might think, 'They are anti-Yoon? Then I should vote,' which could result from this. They might have been people who wouldn't vote, but if the anti-Yoon campaign continues, lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo could actually benefit from these people in the final vote."