Jo Jeonghun: "There Are Even Talks That Conservative Parties Could Disappear in Seoul" (Comprehensive)

General Election White Paper Special Committee Holds Meeting to Listen to Causes of Seoul Defeat
Han Dong-hoon, Who Led the General Election, Also Plans to Meet with Jang Dong-hyeok

Jo Jung-hoon, Chairman of the People Power Party's General Election White Paper Special Committee, is speaking at the 3rd General Election White Paper Special Committee meeting held at the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

At the full meeting of the People Power Party's General Election White Paper Special Committee, candid opinions were expressed regarding the party's crushing defeat in the Seoul general election.

On the 14th, after concluding the meeting at the central party office, Jo Jeong-hoon, chairman of the General Election White Paper Special Committee, told reporters, "We had many hard-hitting discussions with the special committee members and those who ran under the People Power Party's Seoul City Party about the causes of the election defeat and the direction the Seoul City Party should take." He added, "There were various questions and answers ranging from structural changes such as the aging support base and the increasing population in the metropolitan area to regrets about the Yeouido Research Institute and electoral system reform."

Chairman Jo said, "In particular, some attendees did not hesitate to say that if things continue as they are, conservative parties could disappear in Seoul." He continued, "There was talk about the need to have the courage to undertake creative destruction to prevent this." He added, "Although the People Power Party is not yet the Yeongnam branch of the United Liberal Democrats, there were many discussions about the fear that it could go that way and the need to rebuild conservatism in Seoul." He said, "Specific alternatives were proposed, and the General Election White Paper Special Committee will try to incorporate them well." Starting with Seoul, the committee will hold regional meetings in Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Honam to meet opinion leaders and voters in each region to gather their views.

Regarding Hwang Woo-yeo, the Emergency Response Committee chairman, expressing a wish that the white paper not emphasize the responsibility of any specific individual, Chairman Jo responded, "Whether through direct or metaphorical language, anyone reading the white paper will be able to interpret it." In other words, even without highlighting any individual's responsibility, readers will understand where the accountability lies.

Chairman Jo also plans to meet with former Emergency Response Committee chairman Han Dong-hoon and former Secretary-General Jang Dong-hyuk, who resigned taking responsibility for the 22nd general election defeat. He said, "I have been in contact with former Secretary-General Jang, and since he was the Secretary-General at the time, there are quite a few questions for him." He added, "I plan to request a meeting with former Chairman Han as soon as the survey results are compiled. I believe the timing will not be late."

The general election white paper survey, which began in the first week of May, has also been completed. Chairman Jo said, "We will start analyzing the survey from today," adding, "The response rate from the most important candidates and party officials far exceeds half, so I believe representativeness has been secured."

At the full meeting of the General Election White Paper Special Committee that day, Kim Seon-dong, chairman of the Seoul City Party, Kim Jun-ho, organizational chairman of Seoul Nowon, and others who ran in the 22nd general election in Seoul under the People Power Party attended and shared their opinions on the causes of the election defeat and the way forward.