The Democratic Party's Floor Leader Position May Be Taken by 'Pro-Yoon' Faction... Active Behind-the-Scenes by Rep. Lee Cheol-gyu

Metropolitan Area and Yeongnam 3-Term or More Veterans Mentioned
'Pro-Yoon' Lee Cheol-gyu Holds Consecutive Meetings, Drawing Attention

As the new floor leader election approaches on May 3, the movements of the People Power Party candidates are intensifying. These are mainly senior lawmakers from the Yeongnam region and mid-ranking members classified as pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk-yeol) faction. It is expected that lawmakers with three or more terms will run in this floor leader election. This is because negotiation skills are more required than ever in the current minority government situation, and the opposition party's offensive is expected to be much stronger than in the 21st National Assembly. The Democratic Party has already declared that it will take the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee and the Steering Committee. The offensives such as the 'Special Prosecutor for Chae Sang-byeong' and 'Special Prosecutor for Mrs. Kim Geon-hee' are also fierce.

Kim Do-eup, a member of the People Power Party, is answering questions from reporters after attending the People Power Party and People’s Future elected members' general meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The People Power Party floor leader candidates are largely divided into the Yeongnam region and the pro-Yoon faction. Although there have been opinions that senior lawmakers from the metropolitan area should step forward, Yeongnam senior lawmakers are being mentioned due to the lack of weighty senior lawmakers in the metropolitan area. There are only five senior lawmakers with three or more terms in the metropolitan area: 5-term Kwon Young-se (Seoul Yongsan-gu), Na Kyung-won (Seoul Dongjak-gu Eul), Yoon Sang-hyun (Incheon Dong-gu·Michuhol-gu Eul), 4-term Ahn Cheol-soo (Seongnam Bundang-gap), and 3-term Kim Seong-won (Gyeonggi Dongducheon-si·Yangju-si·Yeoncheon-gun Eul).

Among the senior lawmakers from the Yeongnam region, the floor leader candidates mentioned include 4-term Kim Do-eup (Busan Gangseo-gu), Park Dae-chul (Jinju-si Gap), Kim Tae-ho (Yangsan-si Eul), 3-term Song Eon-seok (Gimcheon-si), and Chu Kyung-ho (Daegu Dalseong-gun) who was elected. Among them, Lawmaker Kim Do-eup is emerging as a strong floor leader candidate as he is from the Yeongnam region and has a relatively weak pro-Yoon color. He is evaluated as a figure who meets both the criticism that the party could not speak up to the presidential office after the general election defeat and the fact that he is from the party's mainstream Yeongnam region.

Lee Cheol-gyu, a member of the People Power Party's Nomination Management Committee, is speaking at the first Nomination Management Committee meeting held on the 16th at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Recently, the movements of pro-Yoon faction lawmaker Lee Cheol-gyu (Donghae-si·Taebaek-si·Samcheok-si·Jeongseon-gun) have attracted attention. Lawmaker Lee Cheol-gyu held a breakfast meeting with newly elected members from recruited talents the day before. On the same day, he also had breakfast with those recruited talents who lost in the election. He served as the head of the talent recruitment committee in this general election and recruited about 40 elected members including Ko Dong-jin (Seoul Gangnam-gu Byeong), Jeong Seong-guk (Busan Jin-gu Gap), and Park Chung-kwon (proportional representation). It is known that Lawmaker Lee did not talk about the floor leader during the breakfast meeting, but it seems that he has started behind-the-scenes activities ahead of the floor leader election.

Lawmaker Lee's movements are also analyzed to be linked to the presidential office's plan to maintain influence over the party. The conflict between former emergency committee chairman Han Dong-hoon and the president has been highlighted, and it is interpreted that the presidential office, which has to face the opposition party's offensive, prefers 'pro-Yoon personnel.' Lawmaker Lee also played a role representing the will of 'Yongsan' against former chairman Han in the last general election.

An anonymous first-term elected member said, "Wouldn't it be good if anyone who innovates the party takes the floor leader position?" but added, "If it is the same, I hope a metropolitan area figure acceptable to the people steps forward to the forefront."