[Comprehensive] "Is Progressivism Not Allowed Then?" Yoo Si-min Refutes '180 Seats for All Progressives' Remark

Chairman Yoo: "Broad Conservative Coalition to Secure Over 200 Seats... Why Can't the Broad Progressive Coalition Do the Same?"

Yoo Si-min, Chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Yoo Si-min, chairman of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, said on the 13th, "The pan-conservatives have had elections where they held more than 200 seats, so why can't the pan-progressives do the same?"

Earlier, Chairman Yoo received a request for restraint from the ruling party due to his remark about 'pan-progressives winning 180 seats.' He was also criticized by the opposition as "arrogant," sparking controversy over whether he had provided the opposition with a kind of foothold to criticize the ruling party.

On the same day, Yoo appeared on CBS Radio's "Sisa Jaki Jeong Gwan-yong" and emphasized, "I never said that the Democratic Party of Korea would win 180 seats including proportional representation. The pan-progressives include the Democratic Party, the Together Citizens' Party, the Open Democratic Party, the Justice Party, and the Minsaeng Party."

He continued, "In response to a viewer's question, 'Won't the Democratic Party get 180 seats including proportional representation?' I said, 'It's impossible. It's an excessive desire. But if we vote diligently, isn't it possible for all pan-progressives combined to get 180 seats?' I spoke about it as a hopeful prospect," explaining the background of his 'pan-progressives 180 seats' remark.

On the first day of early voting for the 21st National Assembly election on the 10th, a citizen is casting a vote wearing plastic gloves at an early voting station set up in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Chairman Yoo also said, "If everyone really participates in voting without exception, it is common sense that we could secure 180 seats, enough to smoothly proceed with the supplementary budget for COVID-19 measures under the current National Assembly law. I don't understand what is arrogant or reckless about expressing hope that the pan-progressives should try to secure as many seats as possible to overcome the national crisis," he lamented.

Regarding Yang Jung-chul, director of the Democratic Research Institute, saying "People who make such bold statements have ulterior motives," Yoo said, "That probably wasn't directed at me. Even if it was, since it arose from criticism I made, I think it's understandable that he would say that."

Earlier, on the 10th, Chairman Yoo said on the YouTube broadcast "Alileo," "It is not impossible for the pan-progressives to get 180 seats including proportional representation," drawing criticism from both ruling and opposition parties.

Immediately after Yoo's remarks, Lee Nak-yeon, co-chairman of the Democratic Party's joint election committee, pointed out, "Who can say so recklessly that they know the will of the people?" Then, Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the United Future Party, criticized, "The arrogance of the Moon Jae-in administration has reached its peak," and Kim Jong-in, general election committee chairman, said, "No party that has talked about 180 seats has ever succeeded in an election."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.