[Inside Chodong] President Yoon, Time to Prove 'Principles' Again

The Ruling Party in Turmoil Over the President's 'Conveyed Messages Politics'
A Clear Commitment to Separating Party Affairs and Politics Is Needed

The president's 'conveyed messages politics' is shaking the ruling party's leadership election. Even when former lawmaker Na Kyung-won decided not to run, the influence of President Yoon's conveyed messages was immense, and this time was no different. When the president's conveyed message that "he will be perceived as a disruptor and an enemy" spread, lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo suddenly suspended his official schedule.

A ruling party official who left the presidential office last year said that the leadership election, which is just a month away, will ultimately leave only the president standing. This metaphor describes the situation where, in the second year of the administration, when the president and the ruling party should be focusing all their efforts on national tasks, the election to choose the new party leader is turning into a fierce internal struggle amid controversies over Yoon's core aides and presidential influence.

This incident recalls the 'Oksae Run' incident involving Kim Moo-sung, then leader of the Saenuri Party during former President Park Geun-hye's era. At that time, Kim, ahead of the 20th general election, pursued a nomination reform that differed from former President Park's intentions, faced backlash from pro-Park factions, refused to stamp nomination certificates, and went into hiding. The so-called 'Oksae Run' turmoil, a power struggle between the 'pro-Park' and 'non-Park' factions within the party, led to internal strife in the Saenuri Party, resulting in defeat in the general election and ultimately sowing the seeds for the downfall of the Park Geun-hye administration.

The same situation over the president's 'intentions' is now signaling the scent of division within the ruling party. The series of controversies also stem from lawmaker Ahn, who involved the president by mentioning the 'Yoon-Ahn Alliance' (an alliance between President Yoon Seok-youl and candidate Ahn Cheol-soo). Being conscious of his stake as a unification partner during the presidential election and later as the chairman of the presidential transition committee, he crossed the line.

However, there are many aspects of the president and the presidential office's reactions that are hard to understand. When lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun, considered a close aide of President Yoon, joined forces with lawmaker Jang Je-won and mentioned the 'KimJang (Kim Ki-hyun-Jang Je-won) Alliance,' claiming himself as the self-proclaimed 'Yoon's heart candidate,' the presidential office remained silent. After former lawmakers Yoo Seung-min and Na Kyung-won, whenever a candidate not favored by 'Yoon's heart' rises to first place, the president's 'conveyed messages politics' begins, repeatedly bringing down that candidate.

This is also where criticism of President Yoon's 'Yoon core aides' arises. The term 'Yoon core aides' was already used by former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok during the last presidential election, pointing to 'key figures close to President Yoon' as the cause of conflict with the president. Therefore, there is no reason to single out only candidate Ahn's remarks at this point. Those who deeply involved the president in the leadership election are also the so-called Yoon core aides who intervened when former lawmaker Na was brought down.

If presidential office aides and Yoon core aides all join forces to label certain individuals as 'anti-Yoon,' who would believe in the president's neutrality? From the unification process during the presidential election, the policy and philosophical conflicts between the two became the president's responsibility the moment he reached out to lawmaker Ahn.

If we must mention Yoon's heart, then People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Chung Jin-seok, who said, "Where is the frame that the presidential office should not talk about party affairs at all? That is an unreasonable statement," is the one farthest from it. After winning last year's presidential election, President Yoon mentioned the principle of separating party and government affairs at the election headquarters disbandment ceremony, saying, "If I become president, I cannot interfere in party affairs and politics."

If next year's general election is a midterm evaluation of President Yoon's governance, then not only the presidential office aides but also the Yoon core aides should exercise restraint. Although the party leadership is elected by 100% party member voters, the general election is a different matter. The public will not support a leadership elected amid unnecessary controversies. It was none other than President Yoon's own 'principled stance' that raised his approval rating, which had once fallen to the 20% range. To prevent division after the leadership election, it is time for the president to prove his principles once again. / Political Desk Deputy Chief Bae Gyeong-hwan