Rising 'Okjung Gongcheon' After Lee Jae-myung's Approval... Cries of "Must Resign"

Lee Won-wook "The person who must take responsibility is Representative Lee"
Differences in perspectives between pro-Myung and anti-Myung camps on whether to relinquish the representative position if detained

With the approval of the arrest consent bill for Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, his leadership has been damaged, and voices are emerging mainly from the pro-Lee faction that even if he is detained, he should maintain his position as party leader. However, the anti-Lee faction has raised their voices, saying that if he is detained, he should step down from the leadership position.

On the 22nd, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Won-wook from the anti-Lee faction said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that "Those who should take responsibility are the existing leadership, including Leader Lee," and added, "If you demand the resignation of Floor Leader Park Kwang-on, then a total resignation is appropriate."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Floor Leader Park and other floor leadership members resigned en masse the day before in the National Assembly plenary session, taking responsibility for the approval of the arrest consent bill against Leader Lee. Currently, Jeong Cheong-rae, a senior supreme council member from the pro-Lee faction, is effectively holding both the party leader and floor leader positions. However, Lawmaker Lee pointed out that the Supreme Council also bears responsibility for this situation.

The detention warrant hearing for Leader Lee is scheduled for the 26th. If the warrant is dismissed, it is highly likely that he will maintain his leadership position, but if the warrant is requested, internal party conflicts over his continuation as leader are expected to intensify.

The pro-Lee faction is already preparing for the post-warrant hearing period. Jeong Seong-ho, a key pro-Lee Democratic Party lawmaker, said on MBC's 'News High Kick' in response to the host's question about whether Leader Lee should exercise his party leader authority from prison, "We believe that for the time being, he should do so." This indicates a willingness to perform party leadership duties even while incarcerated.

However, Lawmaker Lee said, "While he might be able to serve as party leader and conduct candidate nominations from prison, ultimately, he will be unable to perform his duties, so even if he retains the position, routine party affairs will be executed under a proxy system," adding, "The first priority for the proxy will be the floor leader." In other words, a new floor leader will effectively lead the party.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Anti-Lee faction lawmaker Lee Sang-min also said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' that "If he is detained due to corruption allegations, he should cleanly step down from the leadership position, focus on proving his innocence, and after being cleared, consider re-entering politics and spreading his wings again," adding, "Saying he will just lead from prison is really stubborn."

Pro-Moon lawmaker Hong Ik-pyo said on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that "Of course, even if the party leader is detained, it doesn't necessarily mean he must step down, but it is highly likely that party affairs will not proceed normally while he is detained," and added, "The party leadership position will be affected depending on the outcome of Leader Lee's detention warrant hearing."

However, political circles analyze that if Leader Lee and the pro-Lee faction proceed with candidate nominations from prison, the party could enter the process of splitting. Former lawmaker Park Won-seok said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' that "This is not typical political party logic. If that happens, internal party strife will escalate to the highest level," and added, "There will be more lawmakers saying they cannot operate the party this way and that it is better to split."