Lawmakers’ Forum Calling for Party Reform
Kim Yongtae: “We Must Approach This as If Standing at the Threshold of Survival”
Kim Yongtae, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, who has been in conflict with Floor Leader Song Eonseok over the party’s direction for reform, stated on June 19, “We must stand on the side of change, not vested interests,” and added, “As chairman, I will protect the momentum for innovation until the end.” This is interpreted as an expression of his determination to push forward with the five major reform proposals he has suggested before his term ends on June 30.
At a forum titled “Public Sentiment and Innovation Plans for the People Power Party after the Presidential Election Defeat,” held at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of the same day, Chairman Kim said, “Change is a condition for survival,” and warned, “A party that fails to meet the expectations of the people will be eliminated.” He continued, “The innovation proposals represent the minimum effort to show that the People Power Party is desperately reflecting and striving for change,” stressing, “There is not much time left. We must approach this with the mindset that we are standing at the last threshold of survival.”
This is interpreted as a remark aimed at party members who are passive about pushing forward the reform proposals. Floor Leader Song stated the previous day, “At present, the majority of lawmakers want the Innovation Committee to discuss innovation measures, including Chairman Kim’s proposals,” thereby rejecting Chairman Kim’s demand for immediate action on the reform plans. Floor Leader Song is also negative about a full party membership poll, the withdrawal of the party’s official stance against impeachment included in the five major reforms, and the party affairs audit over the candidate replacement controversy.
The forum was hosted by the “Lawmakers’ Group for Party Innovation,” which mainly consists of second-term lawmakers of the People Power Party. This group has previously stated that Chairman Kim’s term should be extended and that the five major reform proposals should be pursued. Around 20 lawmakers attended the forum, including Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Joo Hoeyoung, Choi Sujin, Kim Jongyang, Kwon Youngjin, Seo Beomsoo, Park Suyeong, Han Jia, and Kim Eunhye.
Deputy Speaker Joo Hoeyoung remarked, “I have been in this place for 22 years, and there has never been a time after an election when we did not talk about innovation,” and pointed out, “Now, the term ‘innovation’ itself has become almost meaningless, to the point where people are saying, ‘Don’t we need to innovate innovation itself?’?that’s how much it has become just a formality.” He added, “When innovation plans are proposed, there must be support to implement them, but things have only worsened as we just talk and move on,” and said, “One of the problems with our party and conservatism is that we have lost our sense of direction.”
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