Lee Jun-seok's '30,000 Contact Network' in Seogwipo... Jang Ye-chan Says "Just an Online Signature Count"

Jang Ye-chan, People Power Party Youth Supreme Committee Member, KBS Interview
"Lee Jun-seok is a People Power Party Member... No Political Impropriety"

Former People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok boasted about having built an 'online contact network' of 30,000 supporters, but Jang Ye-chan, the PPP's youngest supreme council member, downplayed this by saying, "The number of online signatures itself does not carry that much significance."

On the 20th, Jang appeared on the special KBS1 radio program "Today" and said, "Not long ago, Assemblyman Ahn Cheol-soo also collected online signatures to expel former leader Lee Jun-seok. You might remember that Ahn held a press conference saying that over 40,000 people signed within just a few days. Compared to that number, whether it's 30,000 or 40,000, I don't think those figures are difficult to gather for people who have fandoms online."

Jang Ye-chan, Youth Supreme Committee Member of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Regarding the possibility of the formation of 'Lee Jun-seok's new party,' he said, "Looking at former leader Lee Jun-seok's current messages, that possibility seems quite high." However, he added, "Personally, what I find regrettable is that politics should have ethics, but most of those helping the former leader are probably PPP district committee chairpersons or party members. I question whether such actions align with political ethics."

Jang also pointed out, "Another thing is that former leader Lee Jun-seok has criticized so-called 'testing the waters' throughout his political career. Setting a date and continuously creating issues to shake the party before that date is no different from the 'testing the waters' he has criticized, which is quite disappointing."

Regarding PPP Innovation Committee Chairman In Yo-han extending a hand of unity to the former leader, Jang stated, "You can interpret this as the leadership providing full support."

He continued, "Just as Chairman In Yo-han extended his hand, there are also members within the PPP who are reaching out, comforting, and embracing former leader Lee Jun-seok's wounded feelings. I think it is important to show these aspects well to the public."

On the recent speculation about former leader Lee running in next year's general election and his praise of Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon as a 'lottery ticket that shouldn't be scratched,' Jang remarked, "It seems he is doing a lot of checks on his own. Many party members actually say, 'We thought it was a lottery ticket and scratched it, but it turned out to be a fine notice.' In that sense, I don't think he is in a position to politically evaluate others, especially members of this government's cabinet."