"Gaeddal Who Stormed the Classroom Stayed Silent Even at Dinner"
"Gaeddal Should Not Monopolize Lee Jae-myung's Affection"
Former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon, returned on the 24th after a year of studying abroad in the United States, drawing attention to his next steps. Yoon Young-chan, a Democratic Party lawmaker from the 'Pro-Lee Nak-yeon faction,' predicted that Lee's future actions will focus on "how to make the Democratic Party truly democratic again and how to restore the party's values and spirit."
On the 26th, Yoon said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "Beyond simply being the head of a faction or a non-mainstream group, the focus will be on what direction will truly benefit the Democratic Party and how to rebuild a Democratic Party that earns the trust of the people from their perspective."
In response to the host's question, "Are there aspects of the party that are currently not democratic?" Yoon said, "The Democratic Party suffered defeat in the last presidential election and also faced a crushing loss in the local elections. The image the party has shown since then has not been very admirable. First, it was framed as a 'shield party,' then ethical issues like the money envelope scandal and the coin incident surfaced. Furthermore, the party's spirit, values, policy vision, and future plans were not visible."
Addressing the host's concern that "speaking harshly might be seen as causing internal strife," Yoon responded, "What is actually lacking in our party right now is the disappearance of diverse voices within the party. Former leader Lee Nak-yeon will also speak frankly when necessary."
Regarding the recent incident where Gaeddal (hardcore supporters of leader Lee Jae-myung) stormed Lee Nak-yeon's overseas lecture hall holding a 'broken watermelon' banner, Yoon said, "It is very regrettable and embarrassing. Even overseas, and at a lecture where President Yoon Suk-yeol's foreign policy was being criticized. The tone of the lecture was exactly that, so it is absurd to say, 'Why don't you criticize Yoon Suk-yeol?'" The term 'watermelon' is a slang used to disparage non-mainstream factions, implying someone who is different on the outside and inside.
Yoon added, "I heard that those individuals were present at the venue and later joined the dinner quietly. To those called Gaeddal, I sincerely ask that while it is good to have affection for leader Lee Jae-myung, please do not monopolize his affection."
He continued, "The way for leader Lee and the Democratic Party to survive is to win the general election next year. To do that, our party must continue to expand. However, if our supporters monopolize leader Lee, those who want to help and support him will have nowhere to go."
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