The Power Struggle Among Oh Se-hoon, Yoo Seung-min, and Han Dong-hoon Triggered by 'Direct Purchase Regulations'

Ruling Party's Potential Leaders Criticize Government Policies on Facebook
Oh Se-hoon Engages in SNS Debate Over 'Ruling Party Veterans' Conduct' Criticism

Rising stars of the People Power Party voiced their opinions regarding the government's withdrawal of the overseas direct purchase regulation related to the National Integrated Safety Certification Mark (KC Certification). They exchanged heated debates through social networking services (SNS). This is interpreted as a 'warm-up' and 'wrestling match' to secure the image of 'speaking out to the government' ahead of the party convention expected in July. It also serves as evidence of the centrifugal forces growing within the ruling party as the presidential office's grip weakens.

Former People Power Party Emergency Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon, former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min, incoming lawmaker Na Kyung-won, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, all rising stars of the ruling party, expressed their positions on the government's overseas direct purchase regulation via Facebook and engaged in a verbal battle. After the government announced the 'direct purchase regulation' on the 16th and public opinion surged, on the 18th, former lawmaker Yoo, former chairman Han, and incoming lawmaker Na each criticized it on Facebook as 'burning down the thatched cottage while trying to catch a bedbug,' 'excessive regulation,' and 'hasty implementation,' respectively. Lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo also criticized it as a 'typical desk theory' during a YTN radio interview on the 21st when asked about the issue.

Following this, the government indicated on the 19th its intention to effectively withdraw the policy, seemingly calming the controversy. However, the verbal battle escalated when Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon posted on SNS that he was 'disappointed with the conduct.' On the 20th, Mayor Oh wrote on Facebook, "Safety and corporate protection are values that cannot be abandoned even considering some inconvenience to direct purchase users. Criticizing the entire policy as if it has major problems is disappointing conduct for a senior ruling party member." Although Mayor Oh did not mention any specific individuals at the time, it was interpreted as a criticism of former chairman Han, former lawmaker Yoo, and incoming lawmaker Na's remarks.

Former lawmaker Yoo and former chairman Han strongly criticized Mayor Oh's 'conduct remarks' once again through Facebook. Former chairman Han responded, "The Seoul Mayor said my opinion was 'disappointing conduct,' but in a liberal democratic society, few would agree with treating constructive opinions as a matter of 'conduct.'" Former lawmaker Yoo also criticized, "Mayor Oh's logic that consumers must continue to suffer to protect domestic companies is an outdated idea heard only in the developmental era." In response, Mayor Oh apologized via Facebook for the unrefined expression of 'conduct' but did not change his stance, stating, "Ruling party politicians should minimize expressing opinions on SNS."

Inside and outside the political circle, the verbal battle among rising stars is interpreted as an attempt to assert their presence before the ruling party shifts into full party convention mode. The intention is to highlight individuality and clarity to prepare their position for the next party leadership challenge. Some within the ruling party point out that engaging in such disputes while the shock of the general election defeat has not yet faded and the rules and schedule of the party convention have not been set is an act that displeases the public. A first-term lawmaker of the People Power Party remarked, "Now is the time to apologize to the public for the general election defeat and seriously discuss the party's future," adding, "The heated exchanges among influential senior members may be perceived as internal conflict and could disappoint even the supporters who voted for us."