"Lee Sang-min Should Make Serious Remarks Like a Senior Lawmaker"
As Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, marks one year in office, his judicial risks are escalating, leading to calls for his resignation within the party. In response, Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Min-seok stated, "For now, we need to continue with Lee's leadership," while also emphasizing the need for support from the non-Lee faction and pro-Lee Nak-yeon faction.
On the 28th, during BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' Ahn said, "For the time being, Lee and the majority of lawmakers and party members believe we should proceed under Lee's leadership. If additional support is needed afterward, it will be accepted, and it seems that this is the majority view."
The 'additional support' refers specifically to the non-Lee faction and the pro-Lee Nak-yeon faction. He said, "There are shortcomings with Lee's leadership. Since the general election cannot be won solely under Lee's leadership, support from other non-Lee factions or the NY faction is necessary," adding, "Lee alone is not sufficient."
Regarding Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-min from the non-Lee faction stating that "if Lee does not step down, there will be lawmakers deciding his position within the party," Ahn criticized, "Lee will be quite disappointed by that statement." He added, "Last week, the two met and had a frank and lengthy conversation in a very amicable atmosphere. They even took photos when parting and agreed to work well together moving forward, yet the call for Lee to step down was made publicly through the media."
He pointed out, "The ruling party and the prosecution regime have no other strategy but to exploit divisions within the Democratic Party to win the general election," and warned, "We must not get caught up in this. Senior members of the opposition Democratic Party should make prudent statements befitting their status."
He continued, "Those few who call for Lee to step down do not have significant influence within the party, and their stance likely reflects personal or local constituency circumstances," adding, "Senior members should act responsibly, playing a role in unity and harmony."
Regarding the prosecution's request for an arrest warrant, Ahn maintained the position that the principle of 'waiving immunity from arrest' must be upheld. He said, "Lee appears to be a pragmatic politician on the surface, but he is also someone who values principles in politics," and added, "This opportunity to keep promises and uphold principles will be a valuable political asset for Lee, demonstrating to the public his commitment."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
