Supporting Personnel Reform and Calls for Senior Lawmakers' Voluntary Retirement
Jeon Hangil's Admission Intensifies Internal Strife within the People Power Party
Ahn Cheolsu, a member of the People Power Party who has declared his candidacy for party leader, stated on the 18th, "The reformist will of Innovation Committee Chairperson Yoon Heesook deserves full respect." This is interpreted as supporting Chairperson Yoon, who previously called for the personnel reform of four lawmakers, including Emergency Committee Chairperson and Floor Leader Song Eonseok, as well as the voluntary retirement of senior members. On his social media account that day, Ahn wrote, "Although I have some disagreements, I believe we share the same view that urgent reform is needed within the party," adding, "We must listen to the will of the people, not Yoonshim (Yoon Sukyeol's influence) or Gilshim (Jeon Hangil's influence)."
After the presidential election defeat, Ahn previously served as the party's Innovation Committee Chair before Yoon. As a reform measure, he had called for the removal of Kwon Seongdong and Kwon Youngse, who were party leaders during the People Power Party's presidential candidate replacement crisis in May. However, Ahn stepped down from his position as Innovation Committee Chair on the 7th, stating that the party leadership did not accept his demands.
After Ahn, Yoon Heesook became the Innovation Committee Chair. On the 16th, she urged Emergency Committee Chairperson Song Eonseok, as well as lawmakers Na Kyungwon, Yoon Sanghyun, and Jang Donghyuk, to "clarify their positions and make decisions about their future themselves." The next day, she referenced the 2004 illegal presidential campaign fund scandal involving the Grand National Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party), when 37 senior lawmakers announced they would not run for re-election, and demanded that current senior members "demonstrate accountability." She also called on all 107 People Power Party lawmakers to pledge and resolve to eradicate factional activities. On the 17th, after delivering these personnel reform demands to the party leadership, Yoon met with reporters and openly revealed her conflict with the leadership, saying she had been "gang-attacked" (subjected to collective criticism).
Meanwhile, controversy has erupted after it was belatedly revealed that Jeon Hangil, a former Korean history lecturer who had actively opposed the impeachment and removal of former President Yoon Sukyeol, recently joined the People Power Party. In particular, the party leadership failed to recognize Jeon's admission for over a month, and party members demanding a break from former President Yoon voiced strong opposition to Jeon's membership.
On the 16th, Ahn Cheolsu also posted on Facebook, "Now that former President Yoon is gone, are you trying to create a 'pro-Gil' faction by bringing in a YouTube lecturer?" He continued, "Do you intend to completely sink the party by making the party leader and floor leader pro-Gil, turning it into a rebellion party, a martial law party, or a Yoon Again party?" He strongly criticized, "Seeing people who defend martial law and call for the restoration of former President Yoon holding and participating in events at the National Assembly, which was once invaded by martial law troops, is tantamount to declaring themselves as 'targets of reform.' If you truly wish to honor the spirit of former President Yoon, it would be better to hold the event in front of Seoul Detention Center."
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