Kim Jeong-jae "Democratic Party Members Choose Next Year's General Election Over Lee Jae-myung"

Kim Jeong-jae, a member of the People Power Party classified as 'ChinYoon (친윤)', evaluated the mass defection of votes in the arrest motion against Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the previous day as "Democratic Party lawmakers choosing next year's general election over Lee."

On the 28th, Kim said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' program, "They even told us (People Power Party), 'Why aren't you investigating Lee properly and quickly?'"

On the 27th, during the vote counting process for the arrest consent bill against National Assembly member Lee Jae-myung at the 8th plenary session of the 403rd National Assembly (extraordinary session) held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the ballot counters are debating the validity of invalid votes. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

He assessed that despite the Democratic Party having two 'practice runs' with the arrest motion against lawmaker Roh Woong-rae and the impeachment motion against Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min, the mass defection of at least 31 votes dealt a significant blow to Lee's leadership. He said, "When the arrest motion against lawmaker Roh was held, 161 votes were cast. Then, even with the forced impeachment motion against Minister Lee, they practiced vote control and ideological screening so much, how tightly they united in their strategy," adding, "As a result, the party will fall into a deeper conflict phase internally, and internal division may become full-fledged."

He then urged Lee, "At this point, he should resign on his own and let the Democratic Party lawmakers go. He should release them from their shackles." He added, "Even though he wore a bulletproof vest as a lawmaker and party leader and changed the party constitution and rules, ultimately, what falls is the approval rating. For the Democratic Party to survive, Lee must step down voluntarily."

He also foresaw the possibility of a split in the Democratic Party. He said, "It is quite possible now. I don't know what future moves the Lee Nak-yeon faction or the pro-Moon faction will make, but it is quite possible."

Regarding the People Power Party's party leadership election, he said, "Now that it is getting overheated, the candidates are no longer showing visions of why they should become party leader but seem to be focusing all their efforts on why their opponents should not become leader." He warned, "If this continues, our party's prestige will truly fall." The day before, Kim and other re-elected lawmakers of the People Power Party issued a statement requesting restraint from negative campaigning.

He predicted that Kim Ki-hyun, who is regarded as having 'Yoon's mind (윤심)', will win the party leadership by securing a majority in the first round. He said, "I think it will end in the main election with a vote share in the 50% range."