'Lee Jae-myung 2nd Term' Completed... 'Pro-Lee' Jeong Seong-ho and Kim Byung-gi Join Talent Committee

Chief Special Advisor of the Representative Office 'An Gyu-baek' and others
Maintaining the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction appointment policy
With emphasis on balancing Chungcheong and Gyeongsang regions

The 'Lee Jae-myung 2nd term' system has been completed. The Democratic Party of Korea has finalized the appointments of all political positions except for some spokespersons. Representative Lee Jae-myung additionally appointed senior pro-Lee figures such as Assemblyman Jeong Seong-ho (5-term, Gyeonggi Dongducheon-Yangju-Yeoncheon District A), the leader of the pro-Lee faction, and Assemblyman Ahn Kyu-baek (5-term, Seoul Dongdaemun District A), who served as the head of the Strategic Nomination Management Committee in the last general election.

Chief Spokesperson Cho Seung-rae revealed the list of newly appointed party officials during a meeting with reporters after the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly Main Building on the 26th. Assemblyman Jeong was appointed as the Chair of the Talent Committee, and Assemblyman Kim Byung-gi (3-term, Seoul Dongjak District A) was appointed as Vice Chair. Assemblyman Jeong is a 40-year close associate of Representative Lee and plays the role of the party’s red team, expressing concerns about the 'Lee Jae-myung one-pole system.' Assemblyman Kim is also classified as a pro-Lee figure. He served as the secretary of the Nomination Management Committee during the general election period.

Five-term lawmaker Jeong Seong-ho (left), appointed as the Chair of the Talent Committee of the Democratic Party of Korea, and three-term lawmaker Kim Byung-gi (right), appointed as the Vice Chair. / Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Assemblymen Jeong and Kim are expected to exert influence over talent management both inside and outside the party, including the upcoming October 16 by-elections. The Democratic Party explained that the name of the committee, formerly called the 'Talent Recruitment Committee,' was adjusted, and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Talent Committee were appointed. Chief Spokesperson Cho explained, "While recruiting talent is important, the focus has shifted to discovering and nurturing talent within the party as well."

Assemblyman Ahn Kyu-baek, a 5-term lawmaker, will serve as the Chief Special Advisor to the Representative’s Office. He devoted about four months to selecting candidates for strategic nomination districts. Last month, he also launched the 'The Yeomin Forum,' a parliamentary research group composed of pro-Lee lawmakers. Assemblyman Kim Tae-seon (first-term, Ulsan Dong-gu) was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Representative’s Office, considering regional balance.

Assemblyman Lim Ho-seon (2-term, Chungbuk Jeungpyeong-Jincheon-Eumseong District), who was nominated as the vacant Senior Deputy Secretary-General, will work alongside the reappointed Secretary-General Kim Yoon-duk to oversee party operations, personnel appointments, and budget planning. Chief Spokesperson Cho said, "With the important party appointments completed, the Lee Jae-myung 2nd term system will now be operational in practice."

Previously, Representative Lee appointed Jin Seong-jun as Policy Committee Chair, Lee Jeong-moon as Senior Deputy Chair of the Policy Committee, Lim Kwang-hyun and Ahn Do-gul as Standing Deputy Chairs of the Policy Committee, Jeong Eul-ho and Park Seon-won as Senior Vice Chairs and Situation Room Heads of the Strategic Planning Committee, Kim Hyun and Jeon Yong-gi as National Communication Committee Chairs, and Kim Hyun-jung as Chair of External Cooperation. Additionally, lawyers Park Gyun-taek and Lee Yong-woo, along with Lee Tae-hyung, who served as Representative Lee’s legal counsel, were appointed as Co-Chairs of the Legal Committee.

Representative Lee has carried out personnel appointments by placing the 'New Lee Jae-myung faction,' including Supreme Council member Kim Min-seok, at the forefront, while also ensuring regional balance by including figures from the Chungcheong and Gyeongsang provinces to expand the party’s outreach. However, as concerns about the 'Honam neglect theory' arise, attention is focused on whether a figure from the Gwangju-Jeonnam region will appear as a nominated Supreme Council member.