Kim Sungtae Criticizes People Power Party's Internal Strife
"Kim Yongtae's Five Major Reform Proposals Must Be Accepted Unconditionally"
"Pro-Yoon Faction Will Likely Appoint a Floor Leader With Less Factional Color"
Former People Power Party lawmaker Sungtae Kim strongly asserted that "the People Power Party must unconditionally accept the five major reform proposals put forward by Emergency Response Committee Chairman Kim Yongtae." In an interview with MBC's 'News Desk' on June 10, Kim stated, "As outlined in Chairman Kim's reform plan, the party should investigate the truth behind the candidate unification issue through a party audit, and also nullify the party's official stance opposing impeachment." He added, "Additionally, the party should exclude nominations influenced by those in power by implementing a bottom-up nomination process."
Kim went on to say, "I was the floor leader when the party's approval rating dropped to 5% during the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. I took political responsibility and announced that I would not run in the subsequent general election. The political forces that squandered the hard-won administration in just three years must come to their senses, even now." He continued, "In particular, the sycophantic opportunists who wielded power under former President Yoon must be held politically accountable. These individuals, who remain the mainstream, are intimidating the young Emergency Response Committee Chairman in order to maintain their own influence. In this respect, the People Power Party still has a long way to go," he criticized.
Kim further stated, "While the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk-yeol) faction may not take the forefront, they will likely appoint a floor leader with little factional color. When there is no party leader, the floor leader acts as the acting party leader. They are attempting to use the floor leader to either form an emergency committee or hold an early party convention." He also insisted, "Lawmakers who were close associates of Yoon Suk-yeol should declare that they will not run in the next general election so that the public will take the People Power Party seriously. Because those who indulged in the sweet taste of power during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration are still trapped in their delusions, the Democratic Party looks down on the People Power Party."
He said, "Traditionally, the ruling party grants the chairmanship of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee to the opposition. But even that is only possible when there is negotiating power. Without political dedication and sacrifice from former President Yoon's close associates, why would the Democratic Party heed the People Power Party's requests?" He went on to explain, "From the Democratic Party's perspective, there is no reason to grant the chairmanship to the People Power Party, which has even been abandoned by the public."
Kim Yongtae, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is attending a members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 9th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin
Earlier, on June 8, Chairman Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly and announced five major reform proposals: holding a party convention by early September, nullifying the party's official stance against presidential impeachment, investigating the controversy over the replacement of the presidential candidate, establishing procedures to reflect both party members' and the public's opinions, and implementing a 100% bottom-up nomination process for local elections.
On June 10, Chairman Kim emphasized that if party reforms are not achieved, "the People Power Party will disappear into the back pages of history." At a meeting with local party committee heads that day, he stated, "In the recent presidential election, the public did not extend their support to our party. The reason is clear. As the ruling party, we failed to correct our course in a timely manner and turned a blind eye to obvious mistakes." He continued, "The emergency martial law imposed by the previous president should never have happened. Our party is by no means free from responsibility. The election results reflect that." He added, "This defeat is not simply about losing power; it is about our failure to prevent the emergence of absolute power that threatens liberal democracy since the 1987 system."
He stated, "The responsibility to stop the reckless actions of the Lee Jaemyung administration and to defend a free Republic of Korea has once again been given to the People Power Party. Many citizens who supported us are still by our side, and we must rise again." He continued, "Now is the time for painful self-reflection and renewal. We must achieve unprecedented innovation at an unpredictable speed." He concluded, "This is not a matter of choice, but of survival. If we fail, the People Power Party will disappear into the back pages of history."
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