Jeong Cheong-rae: "Kim Ki-hyun Representative? A Speaker Delivering the President's Admonitory Remarks"

Yeo Supreme Council Member, KBS Radio Interview
"Pressure for Lee's Resignation? Already Gone Within the Party"

Jeong Cheong-rae, a Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said to Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, "Aren't you a proxy rather than the leader?" and added, "In fact, the actual leader of the People Power Party is President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is concurrently holding the position."

On the 14th, Jeong stated on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs,' "President Yoon's proxy governance over the People Power Party led to Kim being elected as the proxy governor," and claimed, "Kim will not be able to perform the role of the leader."

Jeong said, "They say they meet once every two weeks (through the high-level party-government council), but I think Kim just listens to the president's admonitions, takes notes on instructions, and acts as a channel or speaker to convey them," adding, "The People Power Party is really unfortunate."

Jeong Cheong-rae, Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Regarding the analysis that pressure from the reformist faction against Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, is intensifying, Jeong drew a line, saying, "Within the party, it has calmed down a lot, and it is only growing in the media." He explained, "There was a slight movement saying 'Lee should step down,' but it became ineffective because the party constitution and regulations separate the terms of the party leader and the Supreme Council members."

Jeong said, "Even if the party leader resigns, the Supreme Council members' terms continue, so the leadership does not collapse; only a one-point party convention for the leader would be held," adding, "Therefore, the current leadership will not disintegrate or collapse, nor is there a possibility of moving to an emergency committee system."

He continued, "If Lee resigns, a party convention must be held, and if more than eight months remain in the term, a convention is mandatory. But those who called for his resignation are unlikely to become the party leader," adding, "So, the calls for the party leader to step down have disappeared."

Regarding the prosecution's investigation into Lee, Jeong claimed, "It is not a judicial risk but a prosecutorial risk." He argued, "Lee is only defending himself, but the prosecution is making unreasonable hardline moves," and said, "Because the prosecution keeps attacking, even those who did not support Lee feel it is excessive, and Lee's approval ratings are rising."