15 Supreme Council and 4 Youth Supreme Council Candidates Apply
"Many Supreme Council Candidates Are Gye Mongryeong and Yoon Again Figures"
Ahn Cheolsoo, a candidate running for party leader in the People Power Party convention, appealed to his reform-minded colleagues to run for the Supreme Council election, which will form the party leadership together with the leader. On July 31, Ahn posted on social media, "Looking at the current status of Supreme Council candidate registrations and the expected candidates, I cannot shake off my concerns as there are far too many candidates who support unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law, as well as those from extreme factions." He urged, "Reform-minded candidates, both inside and outside the National Assembly, should run for the Supreme Council to protect the People Power Party from the crisis of becoming a zombie party."
Ahn Cheolsoo, a candidate running for party leader in the People Power Party's national convention, appealed for the candidacy of his colleagues with progressive and reformist tendencies, saying that Ban Tan and Yoon Eagain are entrenched in the election for supreme council members who will form the leadership team with the leader. Ahn Cheolsoo Facebook
He continued, "What will happen if the party leadership is formed by a pro-Gil (pro-Jeon Hangil) party leader, Gye Mongryeong as Supreme Council member, and a Yoon Again youth leader?" He warned, "The party could fall perfectly into the trap set by the special prosecutor and Lee Jaemyung's Democratic Party, which are targeting us as an insurrectionist party, leading to the catastrophic dissolution of the party." Ahn also pointed out, "Although many expect that if next year's local elections do not go well, the new leadership will take political responsibility and step down, the pro-Gil party leader and Yoon Again Supreme Council members will refuse to take any responsibility and cling to their positions until the end, dragging the party into ruin." Expressing concern that the People Power Party could become a zombie party?neither dead nor alive?Ahn earnestly appealed, "I ask for the courageous candidacy of reform-minded candidates, both inside and outside the National Assembly, so that we can join forces, revive Korean conservatism, and protect the People Power Party."
Previously, those who had announced their candidacy or were known to be running for the Supreme Council election (four to be elected) at the People Power Party convention included Kim Geunsik, head of the Songpa-byeong district party in Seoul; Kim Minsu, former spokesperson; Kim Soyeon, attorney; Kim Jaewon, former Supreme Council member; Kim Taewoo, former mayor of Gangseo-gu, Seoul; Ryu Yeohye, former Supreme Council member; Son Beomgyu, head of the Namdong-gap district party in Incheon; Jang Youngha, attorney; and Ham Unkyung, head of the Mapo-eul district party in Seoul (in alphabetical order).
Among them, only Kim Geunsik, Son Beomgyu, and Ham Unkyung are considered to be from the Chantan faction. Kim Taewoo, Kim Minsu, and Kim Soyeon are representative 'Yoon Again' figures, while Ryu Yeohye, Kim Minsu, and Jang Youngha are from the Bantan faction. For the single Youth Supreme Council seat, candidates include Kim Jungyo, former social media advisor to former candidate Kim Moonsu; Park Hongjun, former head of the Central Youth Committee; Son Sujo, CEO of Leaders Club; Woo Jaejun, a pro-Han faction lawmaker; and Choi Woosung, CEO of Cheongso-eui Pro.
Meanwhile, the People Power Party 8·22 convention will be held in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. The main election, scheduled for August 20?21, will reflect 80% party member votes and 20% public opinion polls. The preliminary election to select the four final candidates for party leader to advance to the main election is scheduled for August 5?6, applying a 50% poll of responsible party members and a 50% poll of the general public. As of the registration deadline for party leader candidates for the 8·22 convention, a total of five people had applied: former Minister of Employment and Labor Kim Moonsu, lawmaker Ahn Cheolsoo, lawmaker Jang Donghyuk, lawmaker Cho Kyungtae, and lawmaker Joo Jinwoo (in alphabetical order). The People Power Party convention election management committee plans to hold a meeting on August 1 to screen the qualifications of the applicants and then finalize the list of candidates.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
