Kim Jong-in "Difficult to Expect Lee Jun-seok's Return... Jo Su-jin Made a Mistake"

"Even During Election Season, There Is a Hierarchy"
"If You Only Listen to the Candidate, the Campaign Committee Can't Function"

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Kim Jong-in, the overall election committee chairman of the People Power Party, said on the 21st that it is "difficult to expect a return" from Lee Jun-seok, who resigned from the position of standing election committee chairman. He also warned Cho Soo-jin, a supreme council member who had conflicts with Lee, saying, "No matter how much it is election season now, there is a hierarchy."

Kim appeared on CBS Radio's 'One Round Match' on the same day and bowed his head, saying, "Our election committee should proceed without friction, but an unfortunate incident occurred, and I apologize to the people."

Regarding Lee's resignation, Kim said, "(Lee) sent a text message on his mobile phone this morning. When he said he was resigning from the standing election committee chairman position, I called him and said, 'Don't think impulsively. You are the party leader, and moreover, the standing election committee chairman should endure and get through this. You shouldn't quit. Think deeply,' and then I hung up."

He continued, "It seems Lee thought that if he did not take an extreme direction, correction would be impossible," and added, "Given Lee's personality, it is difficult to expect him to return to the election committee." However, he said, "Lee's political life also depends on how the presidential election is conducted. I think he will fulfill his role as party leader."

So Joo-jin, Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, is responding to reporters' questions as she comes outside after failing to meet with Representative Lee Jun-seok at the party leader's office in the National Assembly, Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

On the previous day (the 20th), Lee and Supreme Council Member Cho had a heated conflict during a closed supreme council meeting. When Lee instructed Cho, who is the election committee's public relations director, to properly manage articles related to so-called 'Yunhaekgwan (Yoon Seok-yeol's key associates),' Cho reportedly retorted, "Why should I listen? I only listen to the candidate."

Afterwards, the conflict deepened as Cho shared a link to a video titled 'Lee Jun-seok's outrageous riot for absurd reasons, mental health concerns, should be forced to resign even now,' created by a YouTuber appearing on the YouTube channel 'Garo Sero Research Institute,' with reporters.

Regarding this, Kim said Cho made a mistake, explaining, "I asked Cho Soo-jin this morning to visit Lee and apologize politely to resolve the issue, but until the morning, no apology was made," and added, "Lee gradually became more displeased because he was not properly apologized to."

He continued, "No matter how much it is election season, there is a hierarchy," and pointed out, "If Cho only listens to the candidate and refuses to listen to others, this election committee organization itself cannot function properly. I think Cho may have overstepped in his remarks."

Meanwhile, Cho also announced her intention to resign from the public relations director position about four hours after Lee stepped down from the standing election committee chairman position. Through Facebook, she said, "I will step down as vice chairman and public relations director of the central election committee at this time. I sincerely apologize to the people and party members who long for regime change."

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