'Seminar on General Election Defeat and the Path to Conservative Reconstruction'
Kim Jaeseop "Must Change Party Convention Rules with 100% Member Participation"
Kim Yongtae "Need to Form Youth and Centrist Coalition"
After the People Power Party suffered a crushing defeat in the general election, self-criticism emerged at the first seminar held thereafter, pointing out the limitations of the party structure centered on the Yeongnam region. There was also an opinion that Yeongnam-area lawmakers should not run in the upcoming party leadership election.
Yoon Sang-hyun, a member of the People Power Party, is speaking at the seminar titled "The 2024 General Election Defeat and the Path to Conservative Reconstruction" held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 18th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Yoon Sang-hyun, a lawmaker elected from Dongmichuhol, Incheon, held a seminar titled "General Election Defeat and the Path to Conservative Reconstruction" on the afternoon of the 18th at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. The presentation was led by Park Sung-min, head of Political Consulting Min, and newly elected lawmakers Kim Yong-tae and Kim Jae-seop participated in the discussion.
Participants at the seminar raised their voices insisting that the party must break away from its Yeongnam-centric structure. Lawmaker Yoon pointed out, "The structural cause of the general election defeat is the party's limitation of being Yeongnam-centered," adding, "As a result, they have no choice but to cling to nominations and cannot speak frankly to the party leadership and the president." He continued, "Even when Yeongnam and metropolitan area lawmakers observe and analyze the same phenomena, the gap in their perception of reality is too large," and argued, "The party has become Yeongnam-centered and structurally obsessed with nominations, and this must be reformed."
Representative Park said, "A certain lawmaker from a Busan district won 5 more seats than in the previous election and believes that since the gap has narrowed, they can bring the regime back next time," adding, "This time, they pleaded to block impeachment and secured 108 seats, but such a perception is surprising." On the 15th, Park Soo-young, a People Power Party lawmaker, posted on his social media, "Although we suffered a defeat, we gained 5 more seats than 4 years ago, and the vote margin narrowed by 5.4%."
Park also said, "I hope Yeongnam-area lawmakers do not run in this party leadership election," adding, "In the last election, the party leader, floor leader, and secretary-general were all from Yeongnam, but they shot each other in the back and killed everything, then claim there are no metropolitan area people." The audience applauded Park's remarks.
Politicians in their 30s also voiced harsh criticism of the party's situation. Newly elected lawmaker Kim Yong-tae said, "For the People Power Party to move forward as a governing party, it must form a grand coalition with youth and centrists. The political landscape shaped by demographic structure favors the Democratic Party of Korea," adding, "While the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's governance was generally correct, the process and management style were rough. The path to conservative reconstruction starts with dialogue with the opposition and abandoning authoritarianism."
Newly elected lawmaker Kim Jae-seop said, "We should first review the situation coldly, but there is no time for that as an early party leadership election is being held," adding, "Holding an early party leadership election will cause the general election defeat to be forgotten. It can temporarily relieve the sense of defeat, but the party leadership election itself is not a panacea." He also criticized, "I oppose maintaining the party leadership election rules with 100% party member votes," and said, "Holding the party leadership election while blocking public participation is the ruling party's irresponsibility."
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