Yoon Sang-hyun: "Running mate is a path to mutual destruction, will select campaign committee chairs through party member and citizen public recruitment"

Under the Name 'Innovation Camp'
People Power Party Adopts First-Ever Election Method
"A Touchstone to Achieve Conservative Revolution"

Yoon Sang-hyun, a candidate for the leadership of the People Power Party, criticized the practice of party leader candidates running as running mates with Supreme Council candidates on the 26th, calling it a "collusion." Instead, Yoon announced that he would select the election campaign committee chairman through a public contest targeting party members and citizens.

Yoon Sang-hyun, Member of the People Power Party [Image source=Yonhap News]

At a press conference held at the National Assembly Communication Office on the same day, Yoon stated, "In this party convention, we will show a way of moving forward together side by side, not just side by side." He added, "Claiming leadership based on a horizontal relationship between the party and the government while aiming for an authoritarian leadership of 'side by side forward' means continuing to pursue politics of ranking. This will be a milestone for achieving a conservative revolution."

In particular, Yoon criticized the running mate system. According to the People Power Party's constitution and regulations, members of the National Assembly or party district chiefs are prohibited from campaigning for specific candidates. In this party convention, former Emergency Committee member Han Dong-hoon is campaigning alongside Assembly members Jang Dong-hyuk and Park Jung-hoon, and former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong is campaigning with Assembly member In Yo-han. Yoon warned that the politics of factionalism based on personal ties and loyalty to Yoon is "a prelude to the party's mutual destruction."

Yoon said, "For the first time in a party convention, the Conservative Revolution camp intends to recruit the election campaign committee chairman through a public contest involving party members and citizens," adding, "To win the local elections and the presidential election, we will activate grassroots political organizations in the regions from now on and open major central party positions to non-incumbents to fundamentally strengthen the party's structure."

Yoon has previously announced plans to appoint an 'external secretary-general.' Even after the general election defeat, he has maintained steady exchanges with external figures. Prior to this, during the 22nd National Assembly, Yoon introduced legislation related to the revival of district party organizations (amendments to the Political Parties Act and the Political Funds Act) to revitalize regional politics.