PPP Innovation Committee "Open to Naming Additional Personnel Reform Targets for Discussion"

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The People Power Party Innovation Committee announced on the 18th that it had agreed to keep open the possibility of announcing additional personnel purges and to discuss the matter further. This means that, in addition to the lawmakers Jang Donghyuk, Na Kyungwon, and Yoon Sanghyun, as well as Emergency Committee Chair and Floor Leader Song Eonseok?who were recently named by Innovation Committee Chair Yoon Heesook in her personal capacity?there could be an additional list of personnel to be purged at the committee level.

People Power Party Innovation Committee Chair Yoon Heesook is entering the National Assembly main building in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

Ho Junseok, spokesperson for the People Power Party and a member of the Innovation Committee, held a briefing at the party's central headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, after the committee's fourth meeting that afternoon. He stated, "The first round of personnel purges was requested by Chair Yoon in her personal capacity, and Chair Yoon has also said that this is a separate track from the full committee's discussions." He added, "We have agreed to keep open the possibility of further discussions regarding additional personnel reform and the potential naming of further targets."

When asked whether there had been any objections from committee members regarding the first list of personnel purges announced by Chair Yoon, he replied, "There were none." He continued, "In my view, the role of the Innovation Committee is to create systems and propose new measures, while the role of the Innovation Committee Chair is to play a political role to ensure their implementation. Making such statements (about personnel purges) is part of paving the way forward."

Ho also explained the committee's reform proposals, including the establishment of a Party Member Recall Committee and an early nomination system. He said, "We are proposing to include the establishment of a Party Member Recall Committee in the party constitution and regulations. Currently, recall applies only to the party leader and Supreme Council members, but in the future, the scope will be expanded to include all elected officials and party officials." The criteria for initiating a party member recall, which currently require the support of at least 20 percent of responsible party members and at least 10 percent in each city or province, will also be relaxed.

Regarding the early nomination system, Ho explained, "If the Party Member Recall Committee determines there is a problem, the issue will be put to a vote of all party members, and early nominations can be decided for specific constituencies." In other words, if a problematic individual is identified, the party will decide early on that they cannot run in the next general election and will inform the public accordingly.

Ho also addressed the second reform proposal, which calls for the abolition of the Supreme Council, noting that there is significant disagreement within the party. He said, "Due to considerable disagreement over abolishing the Supreme Council, we have proposed an alternative to retain the council but elect members by region. This proposal has also been submitted to the Emergency Committee." He explained, "Three members would be elected from the Seoul metropolitan area, one from Chungcheong and Gangwon, one from Daegu and Gyeongbuk, one from Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, and one from Honam and Jeju." Ho added, "This system is designed to promote the party's nationalization and to ensure the party is sensitive to public sentiment in the Seoul metropolitan area."

The Innovation Committee stated that it has already submitted to the Emergency Committee the first reform proposal, which would stipulate in the party constitution and regulations an "apology to the people and party members" and a "pledge for a new start"; the second proposal for reforming the Supreme Council; and the third proposal for institutionalizing party member-led personnel reform. At the meeting that day, the fourth reform proposal, which calls for dramatically increasing the nomination of young candidates in next year's local elections, was discussed. Ho said, "There was unanimous agreement on the overall direction. Once the results of the Emergency Committee's deliberations on the first, second, and third proposals are finalized, we will announce the fourth proposal."