Pro-Chin Yoon Kwon Seong-dong vs Anti-Chin Kim Tae-ho
Face-off in the December 12 Floor Leader Election
On the 11th, Representative Kwon Seong-dong, who is running for the next floor leader of the People Power Party, stated, "Once the situation is resolved, I will immediately resign from the floor leader position."
On the same day, Representative Kwon met with reporters at the National Assembly and responded to the question, "If you become the floor leader, do you plan to serve a long term?" by saying, "Of course."
Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is delivering a speech at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@
Kim Tae-ho, a member of the People Power Party, is attending a meeting of lawmakers elected for four or more terms held at the National Assembly on the 15th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
Although the floor leader's term is one year, he intends to resign about 2 to 3 months after the party stabilizes. Representative Kwon served as the first floor leader after President Yoon's inauguration, and when then-party leader Lee Jun-seok was suspended from party leadership due to disciplinary action by the Central Ethics Committee, he acted as the emergency committee chairman, effectively serving as the party leader. This is why he is labeled as part of the 'pro-Yoon faction.'
Regarding opposition from the pro-Lee faction centered around the 'pro-Yoon faction floor leader,' Representative Kwon said, "I don't know what that means," and refuted, "I have never worked in the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, nor have I ever been a hanger-on."
On some media reports suggesting that President Yoon prefers impeachment trials over voluntary resignation, Representative Kwon said, "I have no knowledge at all. I have no information." He did not respond to reporters' additional questions about whether he would participate in the vote on the second impeachment motion against President Yoon or about any early resignation roadmap.
Representative Kim Tae-ho, a non-pro-Yoon faction member competing against Representative Kwon, said regarding participation in the vote on the second impeachment motion, "The atmosphere has changed," and added, "It seems that a decision will be made to allow free will voting in the plenary session through party consensus."
When asked if this means the party intends to participate in the vote, he replied, "You can probably think so."
Regarding concerns that this floor leader election is perceived as factional conflict, he said, "I have not relied on factions in my political career so far, and if such things exist, I will reform them."
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