Ahead of Term Expiration on 24th, Announces End Plan
No Response from Leadership on 2nd Innovation Proposal... Losing Momentum
Ongoing Pressure on Kim Gi-hyeon within Party "Will Clearly Clarify"
The People Power Party's Innovation Committee has decided to end its activities early on the 7th, before completing its scheduled term on the 24th. In political circles, there are criticisms that the early termination of the Innovation Committee was triggered by the leadership's rejection of the committee's second agenda item, which involved the non-candidacy or running in difficult districts of the leadership, senior members, and pro-Yoon faction lawmakers. However, Innovation Committee Chair In Yo-han attracted attention by meeting with People Power Party lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo on the same day to discuss the 'sacrifice of the party leadership.'
Chair In stated after concluding the 12th full meeting of the Innovation Committee at the People Power Party central office in the morning, "In fact, today’s Innovation Committee meeting will mark the conclusion of the committee."
In-yo Han, Chairman of the Innovation Committee of the People Power Party, is speaking at the 12th plenary meeting held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Chair In expressed, "I am grateful to the President for making an early cabinet reshuffle before the Innovation Committee ended, creating an opportunity for good candidates to run in the election," and added, "I also thank Representative Kim Ki-hyun for giving me the chance to serve as Innovation Committee Chair and for allowing me to understand how tough and difficult politics can be."
He continued, "From the public’s perspective, we believe we have succeeded 50% by accurately grasping what the people want, and we take pride in that," adding, "We will leave the remaining 50% to the party and wait with expectations a little longer." The Innovation Committee plans to report its comprehensive innovation proposals to the Supreme Council meeting on the 11th, compile a white paper, and then conclude its activities.
Some Innovation Committee members expressed regret over the committee’s activities ending with virtually 'empty hands.' The second innovation proposal was not accepted by the Supreme Council, and Chair In’s request to be recommended as the head of the nomination management committee was also rejected. Before the meeting, Innovation Committee member Park So-yeon, speaking to reporters on her way to work, said, "I believe sacrifice and change are the voices of the people," and criticized, "If the voices of the people are ignored, I believe the people will show their power through voting." Innovation Committee member Park Woo-jin said, "I intend to propose that some Innovation Committee members be recommended as nomination committee members to guarantee the sincerity of the party leader," but this was not accepted.
In Yohan, Chairman of the Innovation Committee of the People Power Party, is attending the 12th plenary meeting held at the Central Party Office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
Meanwhile, Chair In is scheduled to meet with lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo at the National Assembly on the same day. It is known that Chair In initiated the meeting. A source from Ahn’s side stated, "They will discuss topics such as the active discovery of scientific and technological talents in the election, nomination, the great unification of a divided Republic of Korea, and ways to gain the hearts and hopes of the people through the political sacrifice of party leaders."
On the same day, Ahn expressed a critical stance toward the leadership that ignored the innovation proposals. On SBS Radio, Ahn said, "The Innovation Committee was created because the People Power Party suffered a huge defeat in the Gangseo District Office election in Seoul last October, so the party leader Kim Ki-hyun said he would give full authority to the Innovation Committee to properly fix the metropolitan area public sentiment," adding, "If that is the case, the process should be faster; saying 'please wait with a long breath' while suffocating is unacceptable." This appears to be a direct criticism of Kim, who at a meeting with Chair In the previous day said, "I understand that the second innovation proposal cannot be accepted immediately, so please watch over it with a long breath."
Regarding the Innovation Committee, Ahn said, "The most important thing is a healthy party-government relationship. The party should point out and propose alternatives to the parts where the presidential office is failing and not meeting public sentiment to raise the party’s approval rating and win the general election," adding, "That is the most important agenda, but the Innovation Committee never brought it up until the end." However, it remains uncertain whether the meeting between the two sides before the early dissolution of the Innovation Committee will exert influence within the party.
Pressure surrounding Representative Kim’s position continues inside and outside the party. Since Kim promised Chair In to 'give full authority,' he is expected to uphold that promise. Supreme Council member Kim Byung-min said in an MBC radio interview on the same day, "I believe Kim will clearly express his will for the success of the party and the Yoon Seok-youl administration at the most critical moment."
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