Jang Je-won: "At Least the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committees Should Be Operational"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hye-min] Jang Je-won, a member of the Future United Party who has been criticizing his own party harshly day after day, said on the 17th, "I hope the National Defense Committee and the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at least can be operational."

On the morning of the same day, Jang said through his Facebook, "North Korea carried out a serious provocation yesterday. This is a national crisis that does not seem to end as a one-time event."

The United Party has been refusing the National Assembly schedule since the 15th in protest against the Democratic Party's forced election of some standing committee chairs. Floor leader Joo Ho-young has expressed his intention to take responsibility and is currently in seclusion.

Jang's remarks are interpreted as directed toward the hardliners within the party who insist that "even if we give up all the standing committees, we must continue the struggle against the ruling party."

He referred to a public opinion poll in which the majority evaluated the Democratic Party's unilateral election of standing committee chairs as "a good move," and pointed out, "The moderate faction does not share our anger as we do over the issue of who holds the chairmanship of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee."

Jang reminded, "We have always insisted on 'embracing people in their 30s and 40s' and 'the moderate faction has abandoned us,'" emphasizing, "Hardline stances gain support within the party, receive cheers within the faction, and encouragement among themselves, but struggle should be a means, not an end." He added, "I hope our party will have no regrets later."

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