"Policy Chairman Lee Gae-ho's Position Is Symbolic"
"Cho Jung-sik Should Step Down as Secretary-General"
Lee Won-wook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, criticized Lee Jae-myung's appointment of pro-Lee (pro-Lee Jae-myung) figures to the vacant leadership positions, calling it "an appointment without principles, fairness, or unity." On the 27th, Lee posted on Facebook, saying, "Unity and communication, principles and fairness. These words have disappeared under Leader Lee, and I deeply miss them."
On the same day, after the approval of the arrest consent motion, Leader Lee made appointments to the vacant leadership positions. Park Jeong-hyun, a pro-Lee figure from Chungcheong and former mayor of Daedeok District, was appointed as a nominated Supreme Council member, and Lee Gae-ho, a three-term lawmaker from Honam (Jeonnam Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, Jangseong), was appointed as the chair of the Policy Committee. The party leadership explained that the appointments balanced factions and regions.
Regarding this, Lee criticized, "The nomination of Park Jeong-hyun as Supreme Council member is not unity but an act of stabbing a comrade in the heart." He said, "I understand that Park Jeong-hyun has officially declared her candidacy for the next general election. It is the constituency of anti-Lee faction lawmaker Park Young-soon," adding, "Although there were reports that this was a move to oust lawmaker Park Young-soon, it ultimately gave the position under the pretext of being a female politician from Chungcheong."
He continued, "Everyone knows why Park Jeong-hyun was placed in that position. If it is not to oust reformist lawmaker Park Young-soon, then Park Jeong-hyun’s non-candidacy must be a prerequisite," he argued.
Regarding the appointment of Lee Gae-ho as chair of the Policy Committee, he pointed out, "Like the nomination of former Supreme Council member Song Gap-seok from the Lee Nak-yeon faction, this is likely a token appointment," adding, "It is a misconception to think that unity can be achieved with just that one position."
He also criticized Secretary-General Jo Jeong-sik, saying, "He should properly step down from his position," and added, "The Secretary-General oversees the party and is one of the highest authorities along with the party leader and floor leader. Jo is heavily responsible for the current state of the Democratic Party, including violations of Article 80 of the party constitution. While former floor leader Park Kwang-on and former Supreme Council member Song Gap-seok from the anti-Lee faction have been forced out, Jo remains firmly in his position."
Lee said, "If these two positions are still mechanically divided between pro-Lee and anti-Lee factions and called unity, then unity is far off," and questioned, "How can stabbing a fellow lawmaker in the heart just because they belong to a different faction be interpreted as unity?"
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