"Public Disappointment Grows and Approval Ratings Plummet"
"Multi-Term Senior Lawmakers Are Liabilities, Not Assets, to the Party"
Former lawmaker Yang Hyangja, who is running for the leadership of the People Power Party, argued on July 14 that the party must break away from the system of the "imperial floor leader" and "multi-term senior lawmakers from the Yeongnam region" in order to achieve meaningful reform.
Yang Hyangja, then a presidential primary candidate of the People Power Party, is presenting her vision at the People Power Party's "21st Presidential Candidate 1st Primary Vision Conference" held at ASSA Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on April 18. Photo by Yonhap News
On this day, Yang stated via her social media account on Facebook, "I propose three key reforms for the People Power Party," making her position clear.
Yang pointed out, "The emergency committee and the innovation committee of the People Power Party are fighting over whether to apologize or not, and whether to grant full authority or not," adding, "They said they would not create a 'Bongsunga School' style leadership and even proposed reform measures, but now they are fighting among themselves. Public disappointment is growing, and the party's approval ratings continue to fall without end."
She continued, "I have met with countless party members and supporters to discuss innovation. Based on those discussions, I am presenting three preventive measures as a priority," introducing the following: 'Measures to prevent an imperial-style floor leader, Yeongnam-style senior lawmakers, and blindly obedient proportional representatives.'
Yang criticized, "The People Power Party has an abnormal, top-heavy structure where the floor leader stands above the party leader," and added, "It has become an undemocratic oligarchic party where 100 incumbent lawmakers act as if they are the owners over one million party members."
She further stated, "As a result, the floor leader has repeatedly appointed and dismissed the emergency committee chair and innovation committee chair at will," adding, "We must revise the party rules to prevent this."
In particular, Yang emphasized, "Multi-term senior lawmakers from the Yeongnam region are not assets to the party, but liabilities."
She said, "Senior lawmakers from regions where winning the party nomination is equivalent to winning the election are seriously hindering party renewal. There is a significant disconnect from public sentiment, and their selfishness?putting their own survival above the party's?is severe. To prevent the party from becoming isolated, we must ensure that these individuals cannot become entrenched multi-term lawmakers."
Yang also argued, "The party's proportional representatives have become excessively subordinate to the president and party leadership," and insisted, "The authority to select proportional representatives must now be returned to the party members."
Yang's announcement of these reform measures comes amid intensifying internal conflict within the People Power Party over personnel renewal and related issues.
Yoon Heesook, chair of the party's innovation committee, has proposed specifying in the party constitution and regulations the responsibility of the president and first lady for abuse of power, as well as demanding apologies and self-reflection from those who blocked efforts to address impeachment.
However, the response from the party's old guard has been critical. Song Eonseok, acting chair of the emergency committee and floor leader, also told reporters at the National Assembly that morning, "The ultimate goal of reform is not to expel certain individuals," effectively putting the brakes on the reform proposals.
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