Park Minyoung Criticizes Ahn Cheolsoo: "Even MZ Employees Don't Quit After Five Days...Irresponsible Behavior"

Park Minyoung, People Power Party Spokesperson, Strongly Criticizes Ahn Cheolsoo
"Did He Seek Justification for Party Leadership Bid from the Start?"
"Pro-Yoon Frame in People Power Party... Who Actually Held Power?"

As Ahn Cheolsoo, a member of the People Power Party, abruptly resigned from his position as Innovation Committee Chairman on the 7th and announced his bid for party leadership, Park Minyoung, spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized his actions as "irresponsible." Park said, "Even MZ generation employees don't just quit their jobs after five days because they don't like the company." In an interview with Maeil Newspaper's YouTube program "Iltanews" on the 7th, Park stated, "Of the six or so Innovation Committee members, only two were rejected. Is that a valid reason for the chairman to walk away from his post?" Park further argued, "I believe there was still a chance to persuade others and for the individuals recommended by Ahn to join the committee."

Ahn Cheolsoo, a member of the People Power Party, resigned from his position as Innovation Committee Chairman on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Park continued, "Ahn is blaming the situation on the 'patient not agreeing to the surgery consent form,' but does that mean he bears no responsibility for failing to provide an appropriate diagnosis or to convince the patient of the potential for recovery through surgery?" Park added, "Why did he accept the Innovation Committee Chairman position if he was going to quit after just five days? Regardless of political factions, this is a matter of responsibility as a politician." Park also pointed out, "Politics within an organization is not just about what should be done; it requires sufficient internal persuasion and coordination. His actions deviated from these fundamentals. It even raises suspicions that he accepted the chairman position from the beginning simply to justify his run for party leader."

He went on, "It has been reported that he even requested the expulsion of the so-called 'double Kwon' (Kwon Youngse and Kwon Seongdong) representatives. But is it really the direction of innovation for unity and integration to single out certain individuals, demonize them, and talk about expulsion? Innovation is ultimately for the good of the party, but how can it be innovative if you start by blaming specific people? I do not agree with that approach." He continued, "Ahn gained a lot of support from party members during the last presidential election by showing his dedication. The activities of the Innovation Committee could have been an opportunity to strengthen his position within the party, which had been lacking. But he himself threw away that opportunity, which is regrettable. I don't think party members will recognize this as a positive move."

He also said, "The People Power Party keeps getting caught up in the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Sukyeol) frame. But there are no pro-Yoon figures among the party's floor leadership. Song Wonseok, the floor leader, actually competed against a former secretary from President Yoon Sukyeol's office during the nomination process. Former President Yoon pressured not only former floor leader Kwon Seongdong but also all those considered pro-Yoon not to run. The claim that those people enjoyed power is simply baseless." He added, "Yoo Sangbeom, the chief floor leader, and Kim Eunhye, also a chief floor leader, are lawmakers from Gangwon Province and Bundang in Gyeonggi Province, respectively. They are not from the TK or PK regions. Jo Eunhee is a lawmaker from Gangnam, and Park Jinho is the party chapter head for Gimpo-gap."

He stated, "On what grounds can anyone say this is a pro-Yoon group or that they enjoyed power under former President Yoon? Baseless claims are rampant. The Democratic Party may criticize us in that way, but dividing party members into reformist and anti-reformist factions and demonizing one side is not about seeking party reform. Rather, it appears to be a framing tactic to drive out the mainstream and gain scraps of power within the party."

Meanwhile, on the same day, Ahn stated, "I refuse to accept an Innovation Committee that was pushed through without consensus. I will run in the party convention and challenge myself to become the innovative leader of the People Power Party." He added, "I accepted the role of Innovation Committee Chairman out of a desperate desire to help the party, but I hit a massive wall before I could even begin the work of innovation. I believed that at a minimum, a personnel shake-up was necessary, but I was unable to reach an agreement with the Emergency Committee."