Shin Pyeong: "The Person Endorsed by Yoon Will Be the People Power Party's Presidential Candidate"
People Power Party Discusses the Inevitable Split with Yoon
Support for Yoon Rapidly Diminishing Even at Rallies
Will former President Yoon Seok-yeol remain as a 'leader of conservatism' even after his impeachment? Based on the lack of strong resistance from supporters following the Constitutional Court's impeachment decision, the cooled public opinion both inside and outside the party, and political assets different from those of former President Park Geun-hye, there is a view that it will be difficult for former President Yoon to demonstrate political power.
Shin Pyeong, a lawyer known as a mentor to former President Yoon, expressed on YTN Radio on the 7th that former President Yoon is expected to exert influence in the upcoming presidential election process, including the selection of presidential candidates. Lawyer Shin said, "I believe that from a prophetic position, the person he endorses will become the People Power Party's presidential candidate," adding, "In that regard, the public will judge how faithfully that person (the People Power Party presidential candidate) implements the values that former President Yoon has put forward." As the reason, Lawyer Shin argued, "Former President Yoon was the first conservative right-wing leader to form a strong fandom," and "Unlike in the past with Park's supporters, this strong fandom is formed not by support for a person but by alignment with the ideology, values, and direction set by former President Yoon." He also claimed, "Currently, the politician most supported by the people is not Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, but Yoon Seok-yeol."
On the third day since the impeachment of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, the area in front of the residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, is calm on the 6th. The timing of former President Yoon's departure is expected to be no earlier than next week. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The messages former President Yoon released after his impeachment are also tailored to his supporters. The messages delivered through his legal team showed special affection for his support base. Former President Yoon expressed gratitude, saying, "I saw people fighting with the determination to protect freedom and sovereignty across the country. I also heard the cries of young students in the streets and prisons," and "Though my body was in the detention center, my heart was beside you." He also stated to the protesters opposing the impeachment, "Your journey fighting to protect freedom and sovereignty will be recorded as a great history of the Republic of Korea," and "Although I have stepped down from the presidency, I will always stand by your side."
People Power Party distancing itself from Yoon
Will former President Yoon be able to exert influence in future politics, such as the next presidential election?
Within the political circle, skeptical voices are emerging regarding former President Yoon's influence. In a CBS Radio interview, People Power Party lawmaker Cho Kyung-tae said, "The value of conservatism is to uphold the rule of law and the constitution. Do not harbor regrets for former President Yoon, who was impeached for failing to uphold the constitution," adding, "The People Power Party is not a party controlled by a specific individual; it is a party that can accomplish things on its own and aims to uphold the constitution and the rule of law." Lawmaker Cho also said, "Severing ties with a president impeached due to unconstitutional and illegal acts such as martial law is inevitable."
Although the reasons differ, voices from a strategic perspective say that a break with former President Yoon is unavoidable. People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-jin said, "(Former President Yoon) is an impeached president from the Democratic Party's perspective. I believe the Democratic Party's strategy is to summon former President Yoon and create an election framework that bundles him with the People Power Party," adding, "Politically, the president and the People Power Party must now take different paths. Politically, the president has returned to being a private citizen, and party affiliation adjustments will naturally follow." For the People Power Party, which must now fight another presidential election, distancing itself from former President Yoon is inevitable.
The opposition camp analyzed that former President Yoon's side is seriously mistaken. Cho Seung-rae, senior spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in an SBS Radio interview, "Former President Yoon seems to have a significant misconception," adding, "He seems to think he has tremendous personal support, but I believe he is confusing the reaction of extreme supporters created by the situation (impeachment of a sitting president) with personal support." He continued, "The Constitutional Court's decision states that the military, which should protect citizens, was made to confront citizens, and that the commander-in-chief neglected his duties," and criticized, "This is extremely shameless." The support movement surrounding former President Yoon was not for him personally, but he is misjudging the situation.
Park Geun-hye and Yoon Seok-yeol were different from the start
In fact, within the political circle, there was interest in whether former President Yoon could exert considerable influence over the People Power Party even after the Constitutional Court's impeachment decision, unlike former President Park. However, several indications confirm skepticism about whether former President Yoon can actually possess such 'power.'
First, the reaction of supporters immediately after the Constitutional Court's decision. Thanks in part to the police's proactive response policy to avoid a repeat of the bloodshed during the impeachment eight years ago, the protests opposing former President Yoon's impeachment were not large this time. In fact, during the 2017 impeachment ruling of former President Park, four people died and 67 were injured, but this time there were no casualties. The situation around the National Assembly and Yongsan Presidential Residence remains calm.
Moreover, the camp opposing former President Yoon's impeachment is fragmenting. Save Korea, a Protestant group led by Pastor Son Hyun-bo of Busan Segyero Church, has expressed acceptance of the Constitutional Court's decision. Although elder Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church and others who opposed the decision staged protests over the weekend, the scale of the protests has noticeably decreased.
On the 6th, the 'Sarang Jeil Church, Gwanghwamun Sunday Joint Worship Service' is being held in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
As Lawyer Shin mentioned, unlike former President Park, former President Yoon lacks personal support, which could limit his political power. Former President Park, who was called Yeong-ae (令愛), a term referring to the daughter of a superior, had long shared time and support with her base, whereas former President Yoon emerged like a star amid rejection of former President Moon Jae-in, resulting in a weak support base. There is inevitably a weak consensus regarding region, generation, and political experience. Furthermore, former President Park had a fixed fan base such as 'Park Sa-mo' due to her long political career, but former President Yoon does not have such a strong fan base.
Additionally, former President Park had influence in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) area, known as the conservative stronghold, where she could affect election outcomes, but there is considerable doubt whether former President Yoon has enough influence to sway the election results of local constituency lawmakers.
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