[Hot Interview] Kim Jong-hyuk of the People Power Party "Nominate the Non-Standing Committee Chair as the Appointed Supreme Council Member"

"Without the Revival of Jigu-dang, Yeongnam Will Fall to the People's Democratic Party"
"The Secretary-General Must Be an 'Expert' to Lead Reform"

On the 27th, Kim Jong-hyuk, the head of the People Power Party's Goyang-byeong district committee, was elected as the president of the People Power Party's Council of Non-incumbent District Committee Heads. Chairman Kim emphasized the importance of the role of metropolitan area district committee heads, warning that the People Power Party could otherwise fall into becoming a 'Yeongnam Jaminryun.' He proposed that the new leadership, to be launched at the July party convention, appoint non-incumbent district committee heads as nominated Supreme Council members to create a union between the parliamentary (incumbent lawmakers) and non-parliamentary (district committee heads) factions. Regarding the 'non-incumbent secretary-general theory' repeatedly mentioned by party leadership candidates, he said it is time to appoint an 'expert' as secretary-general to promote long-term party reform and structural improvement. Chairman Kim stated, "Following the crushing defeat in the general election, we must focus solely on how to win the local elections and the presidential election."

You've been elected as the inaugural president of the Council of Non-incumbent District Committee Heads. How do you feel?

Rather than feeling a sense of accomplishment, I feel a heavy responsibility. As you know, in the last general election, our party was almost completely defeated in the metropolitan area. We are being mocked and ridiculed as the 'Yeongnam Jaminryun.' Whether the non-incumbent district committee heads in the metropolitan area are active or not will determine whether we can reclaim the metropolitan area in the upcoming local elections, presidential election, and the next general election.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

There is talk that the secretary-general should come from the non-incumbent ranks. What is your view?

Until now, the secretary-general, who is in charge of party affairs, has mainly come from the parliamentary ranks, but now the entire party needs reform and innovation. Therefore, a secretary-general who can devote themselves fully to this is necessary. It does not necessarily have to be a non-incumbent district committee head. I hope an expert takes the role. Not someone desperately trying to wear a lawmaker's badge, but someone who can continuously manage party affairs and contemplate strategies for party reform and development. When the party leader changes, the secretary-general changes too, but if the secretary-general changes within six months or less than a year, how can they properly devise election strategies and implement party reforms? Education and publicity are not being done well, and I hope these areas can be properly addressed as well.

The party convention is scheduled for next month. What would you like to request from the party leader candidates?

I ask that a nominated Supreme Council member be appointed from among the non-incumbent district committee heads. Having non-incumbents in the leadership will create synergy by combining the parliamentary and non-parliamentary factions. It will also serve as a channel to convey the opinions of the non-incumbent district committee heads.

There are internal disagreements regarding the revival of the district party organization.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon mentioned the issue of reviving the district party organization once but has not spoken about it since. He probably understands its necessity. As someone who abolished the district party organization, I spoke politely. This issue shows conflict between the parliamentary and non-parliamentary factions. For the parliamentary faction, it might be better not to have competitors in the region. Naturally, having a district party organization might be uncomfortable due to competitors, but everyone knows this is unfair. With the metropolitan area wiped out, if district party activities are completely blocked as they are now, the party will inevitably fall into becoming the 'Yeongnam Jaminryun.'