[Exclusive] Lee Jun-seok's Strategic 'Dismissal Card'... Heo Eun-ah Can't Proceed Without Official Seal

Heo Eun-ah's 'Party Member Recall System' Raised for Dismissal
Article 5 of Party Rules Lacks Exception Clause for Party Leader's Seal
Implementation of K-Voting and Others Not Possible Without Leader Heo's Seal

Reform New Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok's attempt to push for the dismissal of Representative Heo Eun-ah by introducing a 'party member recall system' has been confirmed to be practically difficult to implement without the party leader's official seal. If Representative Heo refuses the recall system that would determine her own position, there is currently no method to enforce it under the Reform New Party's constitution and regulations.

According to a compilation of Asia Economy's coverage on the 9th, the Reform New Party is considering ways to implement the party member recall system without Representative Heo's seal. The party member recall system is a mechanism that allows party members to request the dismissal of party officials, usually conducted through a 'vote of confidence.' The key point is that even if party members approve the recall system, the official seal personally stamped by Representative Heo is an essential requirement for final implementation. Since Representative Heo strongly insists on maintaining her position, it is unlikely she will seal a recall request that seeks her dismissal.

This issue stems from the inadequacies in Article 6, Clause 2 of the party constitution and Article 5 of the party regulations, which stipulate the requirements and procedures for implementing the recall system in the Reform New Party. According to Article 6, Clause 2 of the party constitution, party members can request a recall if there is a serious reason related to the violation of the code of ethics or performance of duties concerning the party leader or elected supreme committee members. Article 5 of the party regulations contains four rules for implementing the party member recall system, but currently lacks any exception clause to respond to the refusal of the leader's seal. The regulations specify that the recall system can be implemented if the requester is a premium party member and if signatures from at least 20% of all premium party members and 10% of premium party members in each city/provincial party are collected. Premium party members are those who have paid party dues, similar to the responsible members of the People Power Party.

Heo Eun-ah, a member of the People Power Party, is entering the press conference room at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 3rd for a press conference on leaving the party. Behind her is Lee Jun-seon, former leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Initially, Lee's side reportedly discussed internally the possibility of conducting a vote of confidence for Representative Heo using the Central Election Commission's 'K-voting' system. However, the K-voting system is also likely to refuse implementation if a request form stamped with Representative Heo's official seal is not submitted. A Central Election Commission official stated, "The K-voting application form requires the official seal of the party leader or a person authorized by the party for all votes."

Of course, it is not entirely impossible. If an exception clause bypassing the party leader's signature is newly established in the party constitution and regulations through the Supreme Council, the party member recall system can be implemented. Currently, the Reform New Party's Supreme Council has six members, and even if Representative Heo and member Cho Dae-won oppose, if four members including floor leader Cheon Ha-ram, policy committee chair Lee Ju-young, and supreme council members Lee Ki-in and Jeon Seong-gyun approve, the amendment process can proceed, according to Lee's side.

Representative Heo may also raise issues regarding the legality of the procedure. This is because the party leader is explicitly entrusted with overseeing party affairs, convening major meetings such as the Supreme Council and expanded party officials meetings, and managing the party constitution and regulations. If Representative Heo questions the legitimacy of the amendment process and internal conflict prolongs, Lee's side, which is preparing for an early presidential election, could be disadvantaged. A key Reform New Party official said, "The party member recall system will be a vote of confidence asking whether to trust the party leader or not," adding, "The subject is simple, but the fact remains that the issue of the leader's official seal must be resolved first in terms of procedure."