Lee Sang-min, who left the party, says "I haven't decided on a direction yet"... Ruling party's 'love call', opposition's 'wake up'

Jang Ye-chan "Waiting for a Progressive Decision"
Jeon Yong-gi "Abandoned Party and Comrades for the Speaker Position"

As Ahn Min-sim, a five-term lawmaker of the Democratic Party of Korea who had criticized the party's 'fandom politics,' left the party, attention is focused on his next political move. While he is exploring paths with all options open, including joining a third-party new party or the People Power Party, the ruling party is sending him a 'love call,' and the opposition is criticizing his choice.

On the 4th, in response to questions from hosts on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' and MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' asking whether he would join the People Power Party or a new party, Ahn showed a reserved stance, saying, "For the time being, I have not decided on any specific direction or course of action and plan to observe the situation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In a statement sent to the media the day before, he said, "The Democratic Party has not improved since the Lee Jae-myung leadership but rather deteriorated into Lee Jae-myung's personal party and the 'Gaeddal' party, where unreasonable and shameless behaviors such as outright denial, stubbornness, and obstinacy have become habitual and widespread." He added, "As of today, I intend to part ways with the Democratic Party of Korea."

As one of the non-Lee (非明) faction members who had criticized 'fandom politics,' he had previously stated that he would decide on his political future by early this month if there was no change in the Democratic Party. Ultimately, he carried out his resignation. He said, "All possibilities are open. I am trying to unite new political forces, and there are also movements within the Democratic Party to rebuild it. I am primarily interested in this, but if various circumstances are unfavorable, I will consider all possibilities and make a choice."

People from the People Power Party have sent him love calls. Jang Ye-chan, the youth supreme council member of the People Power Party, said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "We are waiting for Representative Ahn to make a progressive decision." He added, "The difference in thinking between Ahn and the People Power Party members seems narrower than the difference between former leader Lee Jun-seok and the current party members."

Kim Byung-min, a supreme council member, also said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "If Representative Ahn has the will to work with the People Power Party, I think no one within the party would reject him." He added, "Since the People Power Party has said that if people based on common sense join ahead of the general election, they will set up a super big tent, I think it is quite possible as long as he has the will to join."

Democratic Party figures responded cynically to his choice. Jeon Yong-gi, a Democratic Party lawmaker, said on YTN's 'News King Park Ji-hoon,' "In the end, Representative Ahn chose to abandon the party and comrades to create the parliamentary speaker position he desires and dreams of." He pointed out, "When he ran for re-election, he did not receive a nomination, so he went to the Liberty Forward Party but felt it did not suit him and returned to the Democratic Party. He has served five terms like that."

Jang Kyung-tae, a supreme council member of the Democratic Party, said on SBS Radio, "One person left the party, nothing more, nothing less," adding, "Having served five terms, if he says 'I don't really know the identity of the Democratic Party' or 'The Democratic Party does not suit me,' he will surely face judgment from the public and party members."