Aftermath of Innovation Committee Disruption... Complicated Calculations for People Power Party Convention

Loss of Momentum for Innovation Committee After Ahn Cheolsoo's Resignation
Calls for Personnel Overhaul Surge; Pro-Yoon Faction Pushes Back
Next Party Leader to Take Initiative... Spotlight on Upcoming Convention

As the Innovation Committee of the People Power Party faced disruption immediately upon its launch, attention is increasingly focused on the upcoming party convention scheduled for next month. Given that efforts to reform the party through the Innovation Committee have proven difficult, it appears that the next party leader will hold the initiative in leading innovation discussions. Although there are growing calls for reform both inside and outside the party, strong resistance from the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Suk-yeol) faction, which was previously dominant, is expected to intensify the competition for the party leadership.

Kim Byunggi, Acting Party Leader and Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Song Eonseok, Emergency Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, are attending the K-Vacance campaign "K-Tourism This Summer, Domestic Travel!" held at Sarangjae, the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 8th, waiting for a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

Song Eonseok, Emergency Committee Chairman and Floor Leader of the People Power Party, apologized at a party countermeasures meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 8th, saying, "Yesterday, Ahn Cheolsoo, Chairman of the Innovation Committee, resigned. I apologize to our party members and the public who are hoping for change and renewal in the party for the confusion caused." Song also expressed his intention to continue the party's internal reform efforts, adding, "We will soon appoint a new chairman for the Innovation Committee and relaunch the committee to lead the party's renewal."

However, many analysts believe that the Innovation Committee has lost much of its momentum due to Ahn's resignation. Since Ahn stated that he and the party leadership could not narrow their differences regarding actions against two individuals responsible for the attempt to replace the presidential candidate in the last election and the selection of Innovation Committee members, it will be difficult for any new chairman to push through reforms in a leading role.

In fact, Kwon Youngse, former Emergency Committee Chairman, and Kwon Seongdong, former Floor Leader?both identified by Ahn as figures to be "purged"?strongly objected, calling it a "despicable act." On the same day, Kwon Seongdong expressed his discomfort on his social media (Facebook), stating, "We must not forget that attempts to incite confusion with divisive language and to use that confusion as a springboard for personal gain will never succeed."

As a result, it appears that discussions on innovation within the People Power Party will only be possible after the party convention scheduled for mid-next month. Currently, Ahn Cheolsoo, Cho Kyungtae?the most senior lawmaker in terms of number of terms?and Jang Sungmin, former Director of Future Strategy Planning at the Presidential Office, have declared their candidacies. There is also speculation about the possible candidacies of Kim Moonsoo, former Minister of Employment and Labor, who has recently been meeting with local party leaders, and Han Donghoon, former People Power Party leader. Other potential candidates include pro-Yoon lawmaker Jang Donghyuk and Na Kyungwon, who ran in the last presidential primary.

The direction of the party's reform will inevitably vary greatly depending on who becomes the new party leader. Ahn Cheolsoo, Kim Yongtae (former Emergency Committee member), and lawmakers aligned with the anti-Yoon faction are calling for a complete break from former President Yoon Suk-yeol and a sweeping personnel overhaul, but there is strong resistance from the old guard, including Song Eonseok. With some within the party even raising the idea that senior lawmakers should not run in the next general election, conflicts over the extent of reform among party convention candidates are expected to continue.