Faced Backlash but... Opportunity to Reveal Personal Political Colors
Securing Political Space with an Image as a 'Principled Politician'
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Former Emergency Committee Chairperson of the Democratic Party, Park Ji-hyun, continues to insist on her claim regarding the 'approval of the arrest motion for Lee Jae-myung.' Rather, she has invited those demanding disciplinary action to her nationwide tour book concert to express her willingness to communicate. Even when immediately facing opposition within the party, she is steadfast in her beliefs, revealing her own political colors.
Former Chairperson Park reiterated her claim about the 'approval of the arrest motion for Lee Jae-myung.' On the 22nd, she appeared on KBS Radio's "Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs" and said, "Out of the 121 seats in the metropolitan area, the Democratic Party holds 103, but I wonder if we can get even half," adding, "Therefore, the core of the Democratic Party's general election strategy is the sacrifice of Representative Lee Jae-myung and the passage of the arrest motion."
She argued that since the Democratic Party might be misunderstood as a 'Lee Jae-myung shield party' and could lose the next general election, the approval of the arrest motion is necessary for both the party and Representative Lee Jae-myung.
Former Co-Chair of the Democratic Party Emergency Committee Park Ji-hyun is being interviewed by Asia Economy on the 20th. / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
She continued, "If the arrest motion is approved, I consider it a landslide victory," and said, "Whether the warrant is dismissed or he is detained, in any case, the Democratic Party has reached a turning point where it can achieve a landslide victory in the general election." Former Chairperson Park also said, "Since March, I have been going on a book talk tour, and I hope many people who agree with the petition to expel Park Ji-hyun will attend."
Despite criticism from Democratic Party supporters, former Chairperson Park maintains her stance on the 'approval of the arrest motion for Lee Jae-myung.'
On the 16th, when the warrant was issued for Representative Lee, she stated on Facebook, "The fate of both the Democratic Party and Representative Lee Jae-myung will be decided by how the Democratic Party handles the arrest motion," emphasizing that Representative Lee pledged to give up immunity during the last presidential election and that if the arrest motion is rejected, the Democratic Party will be criticized as a 'Lee Jae-myung shield party,' thus advocating for the approval of the arrest motion.
In response, Democratic Party supporters, including Gaeddal (hardcore supporters of Representative Lee), poured criticism on former Chairperson Park. A petition titled "We request the expulsion or disciplinary action against former Chairperson Park Ji-hyun" posted on the Democratic Party's National Response Center surpassed 30,000 supporters as of the 22nd, just six days after it was launched.
The petitioner stated, "A figure like former Chairperson Park, who ignores the voices of party members, the leadership, and the party itself to pursue only her own politics, has neither reason nor qualification to be in the Democratic Party."
They added, "It is clearly a cowardly plot and tyranny by the prosecution, so why should Representative Lee be caught up in this tyranny and put the party in danger? As the main culprit of the local election defeat, ignoring the voices of party members and even confronting Democratic Party lawmakers, does such a person truly deserve to be in the Democratic Party?"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park Hong-geun, floor leader, members of the National Assembly, party committee chairpersons, and party members are shouting slogans at the "Condemnation Rally Against Prosecutorial Dictatorship of the Yoon Seok-yeol Administration" held on the stairs in front of the main building of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 17th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Currently, the 'rejection of the arrest motion' is the mainstream position within the Democratic Party. Earlier, on the 17th, the Democratic Party held a rally in front of the National Assembly main building with slogans such as "Lee Jae-myung and I are comrades," condemning the "Yoon Seok-youl administration's prosecutorial dictatorship," showing a strong stance against the prosecution's request for a detention warrant.
In this situation, approval of the motion could be perceived as an attack on Representative Lee. However, former Chairperson Park is emphasizing the necessity of approving the arrest motion for the next general election instead of backing down from her claim. She has started a politics that expresses her own colors with a voice different from the party, strengthening her image as a 'principled politician' despite criticism within the party.
The claim for approval is a strategic move. While some expect dissenting votes from the anti-Lee faction, considering the internal flow of the Democratic Party, the possibility of the arrest motion being rejected is higher. From former Chairperson Park's perspective, if it is rejected, she can continue to voice harsh criticism and maintain her political position as she does now.
The recognition she has gained by taking a stand is also advantageous for her. It can serve as an opportunity to solidify her political footing. A representative example is President Yoon Seok-youl, who gained recognition by opposing the administration while serving as Prosecutor General. After earning an image as a righteous and tough prosecutor with the phrase "I do not pledge loyalty to any person," President Yoon emerged as a leading presidential candidate and was elected president just nine months after entering politics.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
