Cho Kuk's First 100 Days in Office... "Yoon Administration Has Lost Momentum, Conservative Faction Must Make a Decision"

Monthly Impeachment Rallies and Weekly Impeachment Cafes
"Cannot Agree to 'Weakened Forces' After Election"
"Knowing Party Weaknesses Precisely Is Meaningful"

Jo Guk, leader of the Jo Guk Innovation Party, emphasized on the 28th, marking his 100th day in office, that "the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has already lost its momentum in governing the country," and stated, "I believe it is time for the conservative camp to make a decisive decision."

At the '100 Days Since Party Leader Inauguration Press Conference' held at the National Assembly that morning, Jo said, "Is it the role of the Korean conservative political forces to protect the Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee administration through conventional procedures for two and a half years? I don't think so."

He explained, "The tyranny of the Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee joint administration has crossed the 'line.' It has ruined people's livelihoods and wields prosecutorial power like a reckless sword," adding, "The fundamental principles of a democratic republic are being ignored. The phenomenon that Yuval Harari described as a characteristic of dictatorship, namely the collapse of trust in institutions, is occurring."

He then said, "the firm hands of 160,000 Jo Guk Innovation Party members have joined together. With all these hands, we will throw stones at the ruinous Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee joint administration," emphasizing, "We will prepare for the post-Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee joint administration era."

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is holding a press conference on his 100th day in office at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Regarding the impeachment rallies against Yoon Seok-yeol, Jo stated, "All the leaves have fallen. The Innovation Party will hold monthly impeachment rallies in Seocho-dong and meet citizens weekly across the country in the form of impeachment cafes." The Innovation Party has confirmed Daegu as the first location for the impeachment cafe schedule and plans to expand to Mokpo, Jeonju, Gwangju, and others.

On preparations after the end of the Yoon administration, he said, "One aspect is policy-level, where we are preparing alternatives for immediate implementation such as pension and medical reform, five laws to revitalize local governments, and four laws for prosecutorial reform," adding, "Another aspect is political and administrative issues. We believe the end of the Yoon administration can be achieved not only through impeachment but also by other means, and a majority coalition is necessary."

Jo asserted, "The majority coalition will include the Democratic Party of Korea, the main opposition party and a governing party, the Jo Guk Innovation Party will join, and even forces within the conservative camp who are ashamed of the Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Geon-hee joint administration must unite with the majority coalition for regime change."

He did not agree with the criticism that the Innovation Party's influence weakened after the October 26 by-elections. Jo explained, "Our position was weak even before. The April 10 general election was not a constituency election where organizational strength is crucial, so it was not highly valued, but after entering the National Assembly, our organization and finances were only one-fifteenth compared to the Democratic Party, so our position has been weak since then." He added, "It is meaningful that we have learned the shortcomings and weaknesses of the Innovation Party through the election. It is significant to know exactly what to reinforce and the party's weaknesses."

Cho Kuk, leader of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party, is holding a press conference on his 100th day in office at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Regarding preparations for the 2026 local elections, he explained, "For grassroots democracy and to build a mass party, we must produce at least one provincial councilor and even one city councilor. To achieve this, provincial party branches and regional committee heads must naturally exist. We will gradually build the organization by June 2026."

Jo reflected, "The Innovation Party has faced challenge after challenge from the very beginning," and said, "The entire process?from the founding declaration on February 13, the founding on March 3, the April 10 general election, to the October 16 by-elections?was a bold challenge for bold change."

He emphasized, "Although the Innovation Party is a minority party now, it will become a 'bold minority,'" adding, "It will be a bold minority that fearlessly paves the way forward." Furthermore, he said, "The Innovation Party had to start running from the moment it was born. Since everything was new, we stumbled, rolled, and collided, but we never stopped. We will continue to do so."