Cho Kyungtae: "Far-right Yoon Again Supporters Are Not Conservatives" [So Jongseop's Sogteoview]

"The People Power Party is becoming not just a burden, but the enemy of the people"
"Politely urging Representative Ahn Cheolsoo to agree to a single candidacy"
"We must unite or integrate with friendly forces before the local elections"

There are four lawmakers in the 22nd National Assembly who have been elected six times: Cho Jungshik and Choo Miae from the Democratic Party of Korea, and Cho Kyungtae and Joo Ho-young from the People Power Party. Among them, Representative Cho Kyungtae, born in 1968 and now 57 years old, is the youngest. He has been elected six consecutive times in Busan Saha-eul since the 17th National Assembly. He was elected three times with parties affiliated with the Democratic Party and three times with those affiliated with the People Power Party. He is also the only lawmaker to have served as a Supreme Council member in both progressive and conservative parties, including the Democratic Party, Liberty Korea Party, and United Future Party. On July 21, he declared his candidacy for the People Power Party leadership, stating, "I will restore the values of authentic conservatism."

Appearing on Asia Economy's current affairs YouTube channel 'AK Radio' on July 24, Cho said, "The People Power Party is now becoming not just a burden to the people, but an enemy of the people." He emphasized, "This party convention is the last chance for change through a drastic personnel overhaul." Cho added, "To win next year's local elections, we must unite or integrate with friendly forces," and said, "The shortcut to that goal is to thoroughly carry out personnel reform and innovation."

Rep. Kyungtae Cho, who is running in the People Power Party leadership election, appeared on Asia Economy's current affairs YouTube channel "AK Radio" for an interview on the 24th. Photo by Huh Younghan

You first ran for office in 1996, so you've been in politics for 30 years. What is politics?

Politics is about reassuring the people and helping them solve their livelihood issues.

Then, what is conservatism?

Conservatism is strongly about protecting and preserving. That is why the most important thing is adherence to the Constitution. The second is the rule of law, the third is economic growth, and the fourth is the pursuit of social stability. Former President Yoon Suk-yeol did not uphold the Constitution and broke the law. Therefore, those who defend former President Yoon are not conservatives but far-rightists. If the People Power Party is a genuine conservative party, it must sever ties with former President Yoon and his faction, who imposed unconstitutional and illegal martial law.

You served as an aide to former President Roh Moo-hyun. How would you describe him in one word?

He was a very warm person. When former President Roh first ran for the National Assembly in Dong-gu, Busan, in 1988, I went there and secretly volunteered for a month. From 1996, we met as political comrades. Even now, a photo of former President Roh hangs in my office at the National Assembly.

You have been elected six consecutive times in the same constituency (Busan Saha-eul). What is your secret?

In my constituency, my nickname is "Our Kyungtae Who Gets Things Done." From my first term to now, I have tried not to miss even a small thing that citizens and local residents earnestly wanted. I think this sincerity has built up trust among voters.

The People Power Party is moving from being a burden to being an enemy of the people

You have thrown your hat into the ring for the People Power Party leadership election.

The People Power Party is heading toward total collapse. I am running out of a desperate desire to rebuild and save the party. Party members in Daegu have said that our party is being shunned by the public and becoming a burden. If even party members in Daegu are saying this, it is a very serious situation. The party is moving from being a burden to being an enemy of the people.

Assemblyman Cho Kyungtae is answering questions from the press as he leaves a closed-door party meeting on December 7 last year. He was the first ruling party lawmaker to express support for the impeachment of President Yoon Sukyeol. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Becoming an enemy of the people?

On April 4, the Constitutional Court ruled that the martial law was unconstitutional and illegal, didn't it? That is why impeachment was pursued. He was removed through procedural democracy. And yet people defend him? That is like declaring war on the people. I will reform the party to correct its path away from becoming the enemy of the people.

You have consistently opposed martial law and supported impeachment since the incident.

On the day martial law was declared last year, I took a taxi to the National Assembly and climbed over the wall to get in. I was one of 17 People Power Party lawmakers who voted to lift martial law.I voted in favor of impeaching former President Yoon in the National Assembly,and I also voted when three additional Constitutional Court judges were appointed.I voted to impeach Acting President and Prime Minister Han Ducksoo as well. As the number of our lawmakers dropped from 17 to 11, then 3, then 1, I was the only one who remained a common denominator throughout.

Those aligned with former President Yoon have no place in a genuine conservative party

How do you assess the current state of the People Power Party?

We are surrounded on all sides. A leading candidate for party leader is talking about dissolving the party every day. The Cho Kuk Innovation Party is actively pursuing it. Many people are saying the People Power Party should be disbanded. The party's approval rating is fluctuating in the 10% range. It is too miserable to be called a conservative party. Yet, the far-right faction is still running rampant, so the public despises and dislikes our party even more.

Why do you think this happened?

The party lacks a democratic DNA.Martial law was wrong, but impeachment is not acceptable? Does that logic make sense? Even if 30 to 40 lawmakers leave, we must boldly carry out personnel reform and renewal for the party to survive. In fact, it would be better if they left. Only if 30 to 40 lawmakers leave can our party revive. We have 107 lawmakers, but our approval rating is in the 10% range. Even if the number drops to 80 or 90, if we become a party that earns the public's trust and our approval rating rises above 40%, which would you choose? We must choose the latter if we want hope.

Assemblyman Cho Kyungtae said in an interview with political specialist So Jongseop, "This party convention is the last chance given by the people." Photo by Huh Younghan

Some say, "Representative Cho should leave and join the Democratic Party."

The People Power Party is not a far-right party. It is not a party that neglects the rule of law, forgets about it, or violates the Constitution. The People Power Party is an authentic conservative party, and the greatest value of conservatism is defending the Constitution. The second value is the rule of law. Should those who violate the Constitution and the rule of law leave, or should those who practice defending the Constitution and the rule of law leave? Those aligned with former President Yoon have no place in a genuine conservative party.

How will you carry out personnel reform?

If I become party leader, I will immediately form a Personnel Reform Committee and push forward. If politicians are involved, it becomes tainted, so I plan to recruit 100% of the reform committee members from the public. I will refer those subject to personnel reform to the Ethics Committee and carry out reform faster than a special prosecutor. If we do not reorganize the party in this way, no matter how much we fight the ruling party, we will not gain the public's sympathy.

If we lose the local elections, recovery will be impossible; this convention is the last chance the people have given us

Is this realistically possible?

That is why someone capable of doing this must become the leader. If you entrust me, I can do it decisively.I want to ask party members and conservative supporters: Will you just let our party collapse? If things continue like this, there is no hope for next year's local elections. If we lose the local elections, we cannot expect to win the next general election. The likelihood of becoming irrecoverable is high. That is why this is the last chance the people have given our party.

When the Uri Party was founded, it had 47 seats. The New Politics National Assembly led by former President Kim Dae-jung had 79 seats. Yet, they became the majority party in the next election and formed the government. The number of seats is not what matters; what matters is whether you do politics that meet the public's expectations. In particular, party members in Daegu and Gyeongbuk must make wise choices. If we want to win, change must start there. If Daegu and Gyeongbuk, the heart of conservatism, do not change, our party can never win an election.

Assemblyman Cho said, "An opposition party that does not gain public support is a dead opposition party," emphasizing, "To survive, we must undergo innovation that is like skinning our own flesh." Photo by Hur Younghan

Do you think someone like Jeon Hangil should be expelled from the party?

There are three factions the People Power Party must absolutely sever ties with. The first are those who claim election fraud, the second are followers of Pastor Jeon Gwanghoon, and the third are the Yoon Again faction. These people have damaged the values of liberal democracy and conservatism.They talk about liberal democracy, but wasn't martial law a suppression and oppression of freedom and democracy? Their claims are contradictory. If any of the candidates for party leader think they belong to any of these three groups, they should not try to do anything in our party. Aren't there parties like the Free Unification Party that match their values?

Do you think the People Power Party is fulfilling its role as an opposition party?

There is no real opposition party now.The existence of the opposition has disappeared.The power of the opposition, especially a minority opposition, comes from public support. An opposition party without public support is a dead party. It has no power and will inevitably be ignored.We must wake up and carry out genuine reform as soon as possible.

Politely requesting once more that Representative Ahn Cheolsoo agree to a single candidacy

Isn't reform and innovation harder than revolution?

Exactly. If you only talk about innovation or apologize in words, you are deceiving the people. The public is very wise these days. They can feel whether you are sincere or not. We must carry out desperate innovation until the people say enough. Didn't you see the example of former President Park Geun-hye's tent party headquarters? It survived because people felt the sincerity.We must carry out sincere innovation.It is painful, and no one wants to see their fellow lawmakers fall. But for our party and to protect authentic conservatism, we have no choice but to innovate. It hurts, but we must endure it and carry it out.

You proposed a "single innovation candidate," but it seems Representative Ahn Cheolsoo is not interested.

Recently, Representative Ahn proposed forming an anti-far-right alliance.If he refuses to unify innovation candidates or hold a roundtable of innovation candidates, there is no sincerity. Who becomes party leader is not what matters now. Innovation candidates, or those who can truly innovate, must unite to revive the party. That requires the spirit of dedication. If you lack that courage, you should not run for party leader.

Former leader Han Donghoon has announced he will not run.

Former leader Han is a very precious asset to our party.He is also my political comrade. The people are demanding that we move forward together and innovate.I hope Representative Ahn Cheolsoo will join us on this path.I once again politely request Representative Ahn to agree to a single candidacy. I hope we can share the values of innovation and reform that both Ahn Cheolsoo and Cho Kyungtae possess. If we make a dramatic decision before the candidate registration dates (July 30-31), I believe the public will give us even greater support and encouragement.

On May 10, former Representative Kyungtae Cho is shaking hands with Han Donghoon, former leader of the People Power Party, who announced his presidential bid. Photo by Yonhap News

To win the local elections, we must unite or integrate with friendly forces

Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon said ahead of next year's local elections that the party should work with Lee Junseok of the Reform New Party and others. What do you think?

We must gather every possible vote.Didn't we lose the last presidential election because we failed to unify candidates?We must not repeat that mistake. To win next year's local elections, we must unite or integrate with friendly forces.We must choose the path to victory.However,with the People Power Party in its current state, that will not happen.That is why personnel reform and genuine innovation are the fastest shortcuts to integration.

Do you think that is the only way to have a chance in next year's elections?

Yes. I am scheduled to meet Mayor Oh Sehoon on Sunday evening (July 29). Lawmakers have three years left in their terms, so they feel no sense of urgency. However, those who must run in next year's local elections are very tense.Only if we carry out genuine innovation within this year can these people gain strength.

*Click the video to watch the full interview.

Any final words?

A responsible party member in Uiseong, Gyeongbuk, sent me a message saying, "Please make the People Power Party a proud party that lives up to its name." If we do not reform and change a party where members cannot even proudly tell their children they are members, the People Power Party has no future.A political party must gain public support and be able to give hope to future generations. I will do my utmost with a heavy sense of responsibility to completely transform the People Power Party into a party that truly empowers the people and acts according to the will of the people.