The '86 Group' at the Forefront of the Democratic Party... Complicated Party Dynamics

Lee In-young, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending the joint meeting of floor leaders and standing committee secretaries held at the National Assembly on the 21st, talking with Cho Jung-sik, chairman of the Policy Committee. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] The 86 Group (those born in the 1960s and who entered university in the 1980s), which was the mainstream faction within the Democratic Party of Korea, has entered its second heyday by securing a large number of seats again in the 21st general election. As attention focuses on the roles of these seasoned lawmakers who have rebounded as multi-term veterans despite calls for their resignation, changes in the power dynamics within the Democratic Party are already being sensed.

According to political circles on the 21st, the upcoming party convention in four months and the floor leader election next month are expected to serve as a kind of gauge to confirm the influence of the 86 Group. Although former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon’s bid for party leadership is considered a variable, it is highly likely that current and former floor leaders such as Song Young-gil (5-term), who placed second in the last party leadership election, along with Hong Young-pyo (4-term), Lee In-young (4-term), and Woo Won-shik (4-term), will compete for party leadership.

The floor leader is also likely to come from the 86 Group. While pro-Moon Jae-in faction lawmaker Kim Tae-nyeon (4-term) is expected to make a re-challenge, fellow pro-Moon members Jeon Hae-cheol (3-term) and Secretary-General Yoon Ho-jung (4-term), who contributed to this election victory, are also weighing a run for floor leader. Other names mentioned include Noh Woong-rae (4-term), chair of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Communications Committee, Park Wan-joo (3-term), former floor deputy leader, and Yoon Kwan-seok, senior deputy chairman of the Policy Committee (3-term).

With the senior generation led by party leader Lee Hae-chan stepping down, the 86 Group has risen to a 'leader-level' status, and it is evaluated that the fate of the 'super ruling party' with 180 seats now rests largely in the hands of the 86 Group.

In fact, until just before the general election, the 86 Group had to fight against calls for voluntary retirement. Entering politics as 'heroes of the democratization movement' and as 'young blood,' they gradually became the mainstream over more than a decade, but at the same time, they could not avoid criticism for becoming vested interests. In a public opinion poll conducted by Embrain on behalf of News1 from December 20 to 21 last year, 66.7% of respondents agreed with the call for the 86 Group’s resignation, meaning two out of three people supported it.

Nevertheless, as the general election approached, their resilience was demonstrated. Most secured uncontested nominations and, leveraging their high name recognition, won comfortably in the election.

Lee Nak-yeon, Standing Election Committee Chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, is attending and speaking at the disbandment ceremony of the Election Countermeasures Committee held at the central party office in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

As much as the 86 Group has come closer to party leadership, attention is also focused on former Prime Minister Lee’s relationship setting. Returning as a strong presidential contender, Lee is seen as having a weak factional color and a relatively weak base within the party. Therefore, it is a point of interest whether the 86 Group will act as Lee’s 'kingmaker' or become a target of checks and balances amid the competition for party leadership and the presidency.

The pro-Moon faction’s newly elected first-term lawmakers are considered potential challengers to the 86 Group. Representatives include Yoon Gun-young, Yoon Young-chan, and Ko Min-jung, all former Blue House officials. Given their high recognition and the 'Moon Jae-in premium,' they are expected to wield considerable influence within the party. However, whether these newly elected Blue House-centered first-term lawmakers will align with the 86 generation or compete as mainstream and non-mainstream factions, dividing their power, remains a key point to watch.

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