Park Ji-won "Lee Jun-seok may pack up... but Ahn Cheol-soo only has AhnLab"

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won CBS Radio Interview

Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won commented on the results of the March 8 People Power Party (PPP) leadership election, saying, "It has been completely reestablished as the 'Yoon Seok-yeol Party,'" and added, "Former leader Lee Jun-seok has gained the strength to pack up and leave, and PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo has no choice but to head to AhnLab."

Earlier on the 8th, the PPP leadership election concluded with a sweeping victory for the pro-Yoon faction. The newly elected leadership, including representative Kim Ki-hyun, four supreme council members, and one youth supreme council member, are all pro-Yoon figures who prioritize 'Yoon's will' (President Yoon Seok-yeol's intentions).

Ahn Cheol-soo, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, is leaving after an emergency press conference held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 6th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 9th, Park appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "Currently, about 70 people from the prosecution are positioned in key posts of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, and there will be a tremendous number of nominations to secure control of the National Assembly by those from the prosecution," predicting internal party conflicts over nominations in next year's general election.

He said, "Former leader Lee will definitely resist when his nomination is cut," adding, "Just yesterday, when the 'Les Mis?rables' music played, people were already saying, 'He should be referred to the Ethics Committee and disciplined,' right?"

Park pointed out that if Lee is excluded from nominations, he might split from or leave the party. He said, "Many prosecution officials will receive nominations in the next general election," and added, "(If that happens) he will pack up and leave."

Regarding PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo, Park said, "He cannot pack up here (in the PPP), and staying as is would be humiliating." Park explained, "During the PPP leadership election, if Ahn wanted to attack, he should have done so from the start. He is neither pro-Yoon nor anti-Yoon, but later he reported Kim Ki-hyun for real estate speculation and Kang Seung-gyu, the President’s Office civil society chief, to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) over alleged election interference," adding, "Given this situation, I think it is difficult to give Ahn a nomination."

Meanwhile, Park evaluated former party leader candidate Chun Ha-ram, who was supported by Lee, as 'Jjeotjalsa' (meaning 'lost but fought well'). He praised, "He definitely raised his recognition and did well stylishly," and said, "The fact that young forces could be utilized like that in the conservative party PPP shows they did very well."

He continued, "In any case, the PPP has the power that elected Lee," and criticized, "The Democratic Party, under former President Kim Dae-jung (DJ), reformed and rejuvenated the party by injecting young blood at every political crisis, but since then, there has been nothing like this."