Ahead of the Second Half Organization of Chungnam Provincial Council, Ruling and Opposition Parties Engage in Tensions

People Power Party "Excessive demands including 2 standing committee chair seats," Democratic Party "Should be decided by party seat ratio"
Chairperson election scheduled for next month 1-3

Chungnam Provincial Council's Cho Cheol-gi, the floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Sang-geun, the floor leader of the People Power Party, are delivering 5-minute speeches at the 4th plenary session of the 352nd meeting held on the 24th. / Chungnam Provincial Council

As the Chungnam Provincial Council prepares for the second half leadership formation, floor leaders of the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party engaged in a tense exchange.

Cho Cheol-gi, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (Democratic·Asan4), said during a 5-minute speech at the 4th plenary session of the 352nd meeting held on the 24th, "Floor leader Lee Sang-geun promised a leadership formation that would not disappoint the residents," adding, "I hope the promise will be kept."

Following this, Lee Sang-geun, floor leader of the People Power Party, who took the floor for a 5-minute speech, said, "I promise to do my best to form a second half leadership that will not disappoint the residents."

He also emphasized, "However, I want to clearly state that excessive demands could become seeds of disappointment that cause residents to lose faith."

The Chungnam Provincial Council plans to hold elections for the chairperson and standing committee chairs for the second half leadership of the 12th council during the 353rd extraordinary session from July 1 to 3. The council has a total of 48 members, with 32 from the People Power Party, 14 from the Democratic Party, and 2 independents.

The People Power Party intends to give up one vice-chairperson seat and one standing committee chair seat as promised during the first half leadership formation, but they claim the Democratic Party's demands for one vice-chairperson seat, two standing committee chair seats, and the chairmanship of the Special Budget and Accounts Committee are excessive. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party insists that the number of seats should be determined according to the proportion of seats held by each party and calls for cooperation.

On the 21st, the Democratic Party issued a statement saying, "It is an act that betrays the trust of residents who expect balance and checks and balances between the ruling and opposition parties for the majority ruling party to unilaterally decide the opposition's share," and argued, "The number of standing committee chair seats should be allocated according to the proportion of seats held by each party."

They added, "Out of the total six standing committee chair seats, it is reasonable for the People Power Party to take four, which corresponds to two-thirds, and for the Democratic Party to be allocated two," and pointed out, "If the People Power Party occupies more standing committee chair seats than their proportion of seats, there will be no justification to explain this to the residents."

Earlier, the People Power Party stated in a press conference, "We will cooperate with Democratic Party council members to form the leadership so that residents do not have to worry."