Meeting Busan Candidate, Jo Jeonghun Says "There Are Claims That Democratic Party's Eastward Policy Is Threatening"

"Election System Changes Could Jeopardize Busan's 17 Seats"
Special Committee Decides Content, Emergency Committee Determines Publication Timing

The People Power Party's Special Committee on the General Election White Paper held a meeting with candidates running in Busan for the 22nd general election. At the meeting, they shared a sense of crisis, acknowledging that although they won the general election in the Busan region, the Democratic Party's advances mean they cannot be complacent.

Cho Jung-hoon, chairman of the People Power Party's 22nd General Election White Paper Task Force, is greeting attendees at the plenary meeting of the 22nd General Election White Paper Special Committee held at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the 4th, after concluding a meeting at the National Assembly, Jo Jeong-hoon, chairman of the People Power Party's Special Committee on the General Election White Paper, told reporters, "Busan, along with Seoul, is the only metropolitan city that gained two more seats compared to the 21st general election," and added, "However, there was unanimous agreement that the Democratic Party's eastward expansion policy feels threatening on a broad scale."

He continued, "If the electoral system changes to a major multi-member district system, it would be absolutely impossible to maintain 17 out of 18 seats like this," and "there was a consensus that extraordinary measures by the party, as well as continued interest and support for Busan, are necessary." Although the People Power Party achieved a landslide victory by securing 17 seats in this Busan general election, the average vote share of Democratic Party candidates was also a record high at 45%, implying that they cannot afford to be complacent.

Chairman Jo also said, "What was impressive was the discussion that, to complete the systemized nomination process, setting standards is important, so maintaining objective and transparent evaluations of incumbent lawmakers and non-incumbent operating committee chairs from now on will help prevent backlash when reflecting these in nominations four years later."

When asked whether the timing of the white paper publication would be decided after the party convention, he replied, "Today, I agreed to review and exchange opinions with Hwang Woo-yeo, the emergency committee chairman," and "It seems we will have one more meeting." Chairman Jo reiterated that the special committee is focused on the content, and the timing of publication will be decided by the emergency committee.