Lee Nak-yeon Sets 'Leadership Resignation' Condition... "Demands Must Be Acceptable," Critics Say

Lee Nak-yeon "I will give time until the end of the year"
Park Ji-won "You must offer what you can receive"
Park Yong-jin "Let's take a little more time"

Former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon, who expressed disappointment over the meeting between Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, stated that he is willing to engage in dialogue if the leadership is changed and said he would give time until the end of the year. This is effectively a demand for Lee Jae-myung's resignation by the end of the year, but some within the party criticize it as an excessive demand, saying, "You should make demands that can be accepted."

On the 21st, Lee Nak-yeon said on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon" program, "My statement that I will give the Democratic Party time until the end of the year still stands," adding, "I once expressed sympathy for the sincerity behind the idea of a unified emergency committee, but an emergency committee means resignation from the leadership. If the leadership is changed, I am willing to have a dialogue."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In fact, he is demanding Lee Jae-myung's resignation and a change in the leadership. Regarding the meeting between Lee Jae-myung and former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum the previous day, he also hinted at continuing the work of founding a new party through a public notice, saying, "(The meeting result) is disappointing. I will continue the work I have been doing."

Lee Nak-yeon explained the reason for posting the notice the day before, saying, "Since Kim Boo-kyum and I have met and talked, I understand his feelings and urgent thoughts, but despite that, nothing tangible has come out of it," and "That is why I said it was disappointing, and since there is nothing, practical work must continue."

He intends to found a new party if there is no change in the party, but within the party, there are also opinions that Lee Jae-myung's resignation is a card that is difficult to accept realistically. Former National Intelligence Service Director Park Jie-won said on CBS's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show," "You have to present what can be accepted and then make demands. The so-called unified emergency committee means Lee Jae-myung should step down, but isn't that too much?" He pointed out, "Lee Jae-myung is a party leader who has public support. No matter what anyone says, he ranks first in the next presidential preference and favorability polls. He is much higher than Han Dong-hoon, the next (People Power Party) emergency committee chairman. Asking such a party leader to step down is unacceptable."

There was also a suggestion that the deadline set by Lee Nak-yeon as "the end of this month" is too tight and that more time should be given. Democratic Party lawmaker Park Yong-jin advised on SBS's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show," "Let's take a little more time. Why insist on the end of December? Does the world change drastically when the calendar flips to January after December ends?" He added, "I don't think politics should be rushed with a fixed deadline and a countdown. I hope they take more time and have mutual dialogue."

The leadership also appears to be dismissing the 'unified emergency committee' demanded by Lee Nak-yeon as 'impossible.' Democratic Party Supreme Council member Seo Young-kyo said on BBS's "Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal" that "There is no possibility of a unified emergency committee. Right now, we need to communicate, unify, and unite," adding, "We need to firmly hold the center and move forward now."