Jowonjin: "If the Presidential Office is strong, 5-person, 7-person, 10-person groups will emerge"

Regarding the suspicion that there is a '5-person group' within the People Power Party that wields more practical power than the Supreme Council, Cho Won-jin, leader of the Our Republican Party, expressed concern, saying, "If the Yongsan Presidential Office is strong, then 5-person groups, 7-person groups, and 10-person groups will continue to emerge."

On the 5th, Cho said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that "the important thing is that whatever kind of meeting it is, it can directly influence the primary election."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Last week, People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yong-ho revealed the existence of the '5-person group' on a CBS radio broadcast but later retracted the statement; however, the related controversy remains heated. Former leader Lee Jun-seok also announced plans to reveal the actual list of the 5-person group.

Cho said, "Whether the 5-person group exists or not will be revealed later," but added, "The problem is not the 5-person, 7-person, or 10-person groups, but that when the nomination committee convenes in the basic nomination system, the nomination system is not led by the party leader-centered nomination system, but other forces intervene in the nomination process."

There is concern within the party that the 5-person group, which is more powerful than the Supreme Council, will also manipulate nominations. Cho said, "Having interfered in the primary, they must have gained some benefit. We saw a candidate with 4% support become the party leader," and "if nomination interference is carried out in such a way by external forces or underground forces?though calling them underground forces is just a way of putting it?and if such forces influence the party’s system nominations, if an invisible hand exerts power, then it’s pointless to hold the general election." The '4% candidate' refers to Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, criticizing how he became party leader riding on 'Yunshim (Yoon’s heart)'.

Furthermore, Cho predicted the possibility of a third party emerging due to the nomination controversy. He said, "If someone is unfairly denied a nomination, would they just stay quiet?" and "They might run as independents or gather with others who lost to form a new party. Former lawmaker Geum Tae-seop is also planning to form one. There aren’t many lawmakers who can work with former lawmaker Geum. It will come out in October. Former leader Lee might also run."