Opposition, Conflict Hard to Avoid... 'Lee VS Yoon' Sharpening Their Stances Against Each Other

Lee Jun-seok, People Power Party Leader, Denies Return to Campaign Committee
Relations Worsen with Yoon's Associates

Lee Jun-seok, Leader of the People Power Party (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Geum Bo-ryeong] The internal conflict within the People Power Party remains unresolved as party leader Lee Jun-seok and presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol continue to exchange sharp criticisms. The first-term lawmakers plan to discuss measures to resolve the situation, including holding an unlimited debate session with Lee as early as tomorrow (29th).

In a radio interview on the 28th, Lee drew a line regarding his return to the election campaign committee, saying, "Whether I participate in the campaign committee depends on crossing a certain threshold, but it seems we are still some distance from that point." This is interpreted as meaning that the level of reform in the campaign committee he desires has not been achieved. Lee has insisted on a complete overhaul, except for campaign committee chairman Kim Jong-in, and has been at odds with candidate Yoon over this.

Relations with figures from Yoon’s camp are also deteriorating. On the 24th, Lee filed a complaint with the party’s Ethics Committee against former lawmaker Kim Yong-nam, who serves as a standing public relations special advisor to the campaign committee. The Ethics Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on the 30th to discuss possible disciplinary actions. Kim is the person who raised suspicions about the use of party funds by 'Lee’s core associates' (Lee-haekgwan). Former public relations director Cho Soo-jin, who sparked a 'mutiny controversy' by contradicting Lee’s instructions with the claim "I only listen to the candidate," is also subject to disciplinary review.

In response, Kim posted on Facebook, saying, "The word 'prakchi' comes from Russian," explaining, "It means 'a person who secretly infiltrates an organization or field under a special mission, disguising their true identity,' but this seems too mild a description; it is more like a spy or a planted internal enemy." He added, "From that perspective, the previously inexplicable abnormal behaviors and situations become clearly understandable." Although Kim did not explicitly name who the 'prakchi' is, it appears he was referring to Lee, who is at the center of the internal conflict.

Amid this situation, first-term lawmakers have stepped up to resolve the internal crisis. On the morning of the same day, representatives of the first-term lawmakers met with Lee to demand "corrections to his recent words and actions." The meeting lasted about 30 minutes but ended without a conclusion. However, a meeting between Lee and the first-term lawmakers is planned as early as the 29th, with the possibility of an unlimited debate if necessary. One of the first-term lawmakers’ representatives, Jung Kyung-hee, explained, "We conveyed everything frankly, including the opinion expressed at the previous day’s first-term lawmakers’ general meeting that Lee should resign," adding, "We proposed holding another first-term lawmakers’ general meeting as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow, where Lee would attend and communicate directly to resolve the issue."

Jeong Kyung-hee, the secretary of the first-term lawmakers of the People Power Party (center), is answering questions from the press after meeting with Representative Lee Jun-seok at the National Assembly on the 28th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

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