The Dominant Pro-Chin Yoon Faction's Presence Weakens
Seven Leadership Members, Including Ruling Party Head, Changed Since President's Inauguration
One of the keywords that drew attention amid the conflict between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, was 'Pro-Yoon.' Compared to the past when about 50 lawmakers wrote a joint letter to block former lawmaker Na Kyung-won's bid for party leader and rallied to 'support Kim Ki-hyun,' there is a sense of a world of difference. Only a few lawmakers, including Lee Yong, criticized Han Dong-hoon, while most remained silent. This is why the political circles are questioning, "Is there even a Pro-Yoon faction?" The current status of those once called 'Yoon Core' at the beginning of the administration reflects this. Former floor leader Kwon Seong-dong is evaluated to have distanced himself from the president, lawmaker Jang Je-won declared he would not run again, and lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun stepped down from the leadership position.
Symbolic is the change in the ruling party's leadership. Since President Yoon's inauguration, there have been two party leaders over 1 year and 8 months, and including emergency committee chairs, a total of seven people have been replaced. Former party leader Lee Jun-seok, who led the party during the 20th presidential election, was suspended from party membership for six months by the party's Central Ethics Committee in July, just two months after President Yoon's inauguration, and stepped down. The reason for the disciplinary action was evidence tampering related to sexual misconduct allegations, but political circles analyzed it as due to conflict with the president.
Floor leader Kwon Seong-dong, who served as acting party leader, stepped down in just about 20 days. Lawmaker Kwon was classified as a close aide during President Yoon's candidacy. He resigned after a conversation with a sender labeled 'President Yoon Suk-yeol' was revealed during a National Assembly plenary session's government questioning.
Afterward, following the appointment of Joo Ho-young as Emergency Response Committee Chairman, the court accepted former leader Lee Jun-seok's injunction to suspend the effectiveness of the disciplinary action, and Kwon Seong-dong again took on the role of acting emergency committee chairman. A new emergency committee system was launched with National Assembly Deputy Speaker Chung Jin-seok as chairman. In less than a year since President Yoon's inauguration, the ruling party leader has changed four times, including acting leaders.
Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 4th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
At last year's party convention, lawmaker Kim Ki-hyun was appointed party leader with the support of 'Yoon's heart,' but he too could not avoid discord with the presidential office. After Kim's resignation, Yoon Jae-ok served as acting party leader, followed by the appointment of Han Dong-hoon as Emergency Response Committee Chairman at the end of last year. Han also faced pressure to resign within a month of his appointment due to differences in stance with the presidential office regarding the so-called controversy over First Lady Kim Kun-hee's 'luxury bag carrying.'
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