"About a 5% Chance of Party Dissolution," Claims Lee
"Han Donghoon Will Eventually Run for Party Leader," He Predicts
Lee Junseok, a member of the Reform New Party, predicted that once the results of the three major special investigations (insurrection, Kim Keonhee, and Chae Sangbyeong) are released, the Democratic Party of Korea will try to generate public opinion in favor of requesting a Constitutional Court review for the dissolution of the People Power Party as an unconstitutional party. He also said that when he recently met with People Power Party lawmakers, he sensed concerns about the possibility of party dissolution. On the 19th, appearing on Channel A's radio show "Political Signal," Lee stated, "The special investigations into the insurrection and Kim Keonhee will start summoning people in about a month, and by around September, the results of the investigations will start to emerge little by little. Based on that, the ruling party or its supporters will try to create public sentiment that it is time to request a party dissolution review."
He continued, "By around September, two new Constitutional Court justices will have been appointed, and preparations will be in place. At that point, it will be a political decision whether the government files for party dissolution or not. The process of dissolving a party takes six months of deliberation and requires the consent of at least six Constitutional Court justices. If this happens, the process could extend until March next year, making it potentially impossible to prepare for the local elections in a normal manner."
Lee also reported that concerns about party dissolution are real among People Power Party lawmakers he has recently met. He said, "With 107 seats, the party is too large a bloc, and dissolving it would essentially mean erasing the opposition, so I think it would be difficult for the Constitutional Court to make such a decision. However, if the probability of a bus accident is 0.001%, we accept the risk and get on, but if there is a 5% chance of dying, it is hard to board the bus. That is the kind of feeling I get when I meet People Power Party lawmakers these days."
He added, "People Power Party lawmakers are uneasy about President Lee Jaemyung's attempt to appoint lawyer Lee Seungyeop as a Constitutional Court justice, and they are worried that something unknown might emerge from the insurrection special investigation, suddenly taking things in a strange direction. If they think that way, it's like getting on a bus with a 5% chance of dying," he said, adding, "And it's also awkward to say you'll get off the bus halfway."
Difficult to Launch a New Party Ahead of Local Elections
Meanwhile, Lee, who is close to former Daegu Mayor Hong Junpyo, drew a line regarding the possibility of Hong launching a new party. He said, "Hong cannot launch a new party. He could do so based on his support within the party, but the possibility only arises if a presidential or general election is ahead. Launching a new party ahead of the local elections is not easy. It is also unlikely that incumbent lawmakers from the People Power Party will defect, so as someone with political sense, he keeps warning that the party might face a dissolution review."
As for the next potential leaders of the People Power Party, he named former presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo, Representative Ahn Cheolsoo, and former leader Han Donghoon. Regarding Han in particular, he said, "Han keeps saying he won't run, but I think he will. If articles keep coming out that people around him are trying to dissuade him, that means he will run. We've seen a lot of Han over the years. If there's an opportunity, he always takes it. People say those around him are trying to stop him, but honestly, I don't know if that's true."
Representative Lee Junseok named former presidential candidate Kim Moonsoo, Representative Ahn Cheolsoo, and former leader Han Donghoon as the next potential party leaders of the People Power Party. Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers Group
Finally, regarding Han's defeat to Kim in the party's last presidential primary, he said, "Some people say Han lost in the final vote because there was strong opposition to him, but at the time there was real support for Prime Minister Han Ducksoo. Those people naturally sided with Kim, who was expected to pursue party unification and other such efforts."
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