"Demand for Party Constitution Revision
to Establish Party Member Sovereignty"
'Under73,' a group of politicians aligned with pro-Han Donghoon figures, on July 9 demanded that the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee revise the party constitution to establish party member sovereignty, including deciding party platforms through a vote of all members rather than a parliamentary caucus resolution.
Jin Jongoh, a member of the People Power Party's reformist group 'Under73,' is holding a press conference demanding party innovation at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 9th. Photo by Yonhap News
Jin Jongoh, a People Power Party lawmaker, held a press conference at the National Assembly that morning and announced a statement on behalf of Under73, saying, "With the collapse of the Innovation Committee on July 7, the People Power Party has become a group without answers, unable even to pretend to pursue reform."
They criticized, "The true face of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, which never intended genuine reform and only used the Innovation Committee as a facade, has been laid bare," and added, "Despite consecutive defeats in the general and presidential elections and the reckless actions of the Lee Jaemyung administration unfolding before our eyes, the main opposition People Power Party remains powerless."
They continued, "The public and party members hope the People Power Party will change and renew itself to become a strong opposition that can check the Lee Jaemyung administration," and criticized, "However, those holding vested interests in this party, the so-called 'Under Jinyoon,' are only trying to overcome the current crisis with tricks like launching the Innovation Committee."
They further emphasized, "The process of change and renewal must, of course, include personnel reform. However, fundamentally, sovereignty must first be returned to the party members, who are the true owners of this party. Genuine personnel reform is only possible through the power of the party members."
They pointed out, "The People Power Party is a political party with 700,000 dues-paying members. However, party decisions are made by only about 0.01% of them?namely, the 107 National Assembly members. Among them, those with vested interests like 'Under Jinyoon' do not see party members as owners to be served, but merely as bystanders or tools for mobilization."
Under73 presented five demands: ▲ Party platforms should be decided by a vote of all members, not by the parliamentary caucus; ▲ The results of an all-member vote should be reflected in the selection of the floor leader; ▲ Metropolitan and provincial party chairpersons should be elected directly by local party members, not by delegates; ▲ The scope of the party member recall system should be expanded to include all party officials, not just the party leader and supreme council members; ▲ The term for party members should be changed to reflect the intent to strengthen party member rights.
When asked by reporters about the deadline for the Yun Heesook Innovation Committee to accept these proposals, Jin said, "Rather than mentioning a deadline, I held this press conference because it is an urgent matter."
In response to a question about whether former leader Han Donghoon's party membership drive was a build-up for a run in the party convention, he replied, "It could certainly be seen as a build-up," and added, "If listening to voices on the ground and allowing such candid criticism to lead to progress, I am willing to travel nationwide to encourage party membership."
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