Decision on Party Policy Made at Autumn-Led General Assembly
Han Raises Procedural Issues Late
"Party Leader Should Have Opportunity to Vote"
Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, expressed discomfort on the 5th regarding the party's decision to reject the 'presidential impeachment motion' as the party line. He raised issues with the procedure rather than the content, and it was reported that Han only learned about the party line on the impeachment motion after it was decided at the party meeting. Amid a subtle power struggle between Chu Kyung-ho, the floor leader who led the party meeting, and Han, who is outside the National Assembly, attention is focused on whether this will affect future impeachment votes.
Chu Kyung-ho, floor leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th.
At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day, Han said, "Our party's party line is decided at the party meeting, but in most cases, the party leader is not informed in advance," adding, "From now on, the party leader should be informed before the party line is decided at the party meeting and should have the opportunity to express opinions."
People Power Party lawmakers decided to reject the presidential impeachment motion as the party line at the party meeting held before the Supreme Council meeting. However, Han, who is not a current lawmaker, was not present at the meeting and reportedly only learned of this afterward. At the party meeting, senior lawmakers opposed the impeachment, and Floor Leader Chu proposed making this the party line, which the lawmakers approved with applause. Han pointed out at the Supreme Council meeting that day, "I think it is problematic that the party line is decided without the party leader knowing every time."
Floor Leader Chu's 'passing over' of Han had already occurred once before, regarding President Yoon's possible withdrawal from the party. At the party meeting held the day before after the lifting of martial law, Han proposed three demands to the lawmakers at the Supreme Council meeting: the resignation of the entire cabinet, dismissal of the Minister of National Defense, and the president's withdrawal from the party. However, the withdrawal was not accepted, and Floor Leader Chu reportedly insisted that it be discussed at the party meeting. After the morning party meeting, Han told reporters, "There are various opinions, so we have tentatively concluded to listen to opinions and decide." However, at the party meeting presided over by Floor Leader Chu, the party line was set as 'impeachment rejection.' This was because there were concerns that withdrawal from the party at the meeting could lead to impeachment, effectively rejecting Han's proposal for withdrawal.
Handonghun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th.
The discord between the party's two top leaders could cause cracks even in a unified front. Han and Floor Leader Chu showed differences in stance when the National Assembly resolved to lift martial law after its declaration. Han gathered lawmakers in the plenary session to vote in favor of the lifting motion, but Floor Leader Chu repeatedly changed the party meeting location to the party headquarters, raising suspicions that he 'obstructed the vote.' As a result, only 18 People Power Party lawmakers attended the vote. Earlier, the conflict between the pro-Han (pro-Han Dong-hoon) and pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) factions, triggered by disputes on the party members' bulletin board, led to expectations of defections from the pro-Han faction during the re-vote on the 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act.' The presidential impeachment motion can pass if only eight People Power Party lawmakers vote in favor. However, Han said that day, "I will try to prevent the impeachment from passing."
The pro-Han faction is expected to demand clear authority over decision-making procedures due to this incident. After the Supreme Council meeting that day, senior spokesperson Han Ji-a told reporters, "It is not dissatisfaction with the party line itself but with the procedure," she said. Kim Jong-hyuk, a Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, also said on CBS Radio the day before, "The party's highest decision-making body is the Supreme Council, so if the party meeting reaches a different conclusion, should it be changed?" He added, "We even sought advice on where the highest decision-making body is according to the party constitution and rules, and it is the Supreme Council meeting, and if there is controversy, decisions are made by vote."
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