Jin Joong-kwon: "Yoon is almost unified with Yoon Hae-kwan... It seems difficult to go together with Kim Jong-in"

"Supporters of the People Power Party are 6070 and 2030... mutually heterogeneous"
"A situation requiring leadership, deciding to rely only on the hardline support base"

Jin Joong-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon claimed that the People Power Party's turmoil, including the complete overhaul of the election campaign committee, is because "Presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol and the so-called 'Yunhaekgwan' (key figures close to Yoon Seok-yeol) are almost unified as one."

In an interview with CBS Radio's 'Hanpan Seungbu' on the 4th, former professor Jin said, "I don't think it will be easy for Kim Jong-in, the general election campaign committee chairman, to work together with them," referring to the People Power Party's campaign committee.

He continued, "In the case of the Democratic Party of Korea, their support base is relatively homogeneous. They are mostly in their 40s and 50s, and whether or not they participated in activism, they share the communal experiences of the 1980s," adding, "On this side (People Power Party), there is a strong support base of people in their 60s and 70s, and then there are those in their 20s and 30s. They are very heterogeneous."

He emphasized, "Each group is actually heterogeneous, but there needs to be leadership that can unify them into one."

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is leaving the party headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on the evening of the 3rd after discussing follow-up measures for a complete overhaul of the campaign committee. / Photo by Yonhap News

Former professor Jin said, "Because there is no such leadership, it seems that they have decided to proceed only with the strong support base of people in their 60s and 70s," and speculated, "People like the Yunhaekgwan see 'all this is due to confusion,' 'because of Lee Jun-seok and Kim Jong-in,' and believe that 'we need to organize this side to conduct a stable election campaign.'"

He stressed that regardless of the election strategy the People Power Party chooses in the future, stabilizing the party is the most important. He said, "From the perspective of the moderate voters, the drop in approval ratings is a problem with the candidate and the campaign, and the messages coming from there," adding, "If this is not fixed, there is no chance of winning. So, stabilization is very important no matter which side it is. If they decide to proceed only with the 60s and 70s, their chances will decrease, but it would be better than confusion."

Kim Jong-in, the People Power Party's overall election committee chairman who announced his intention to step down from his position, is answering reporters' questions as he arrives at his office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 5th. / Photo by Yonhap News

In this regard, Chairman Kim expressed his intention to step down from his position. In an interview with 'Yonhap News' on the 5th, he said, "The reorganization of the campaign committee is to ensure the president's election," adding, "If our intentions do not align, we part ways." He also said, "(I am) someone who was forcibly dragged into the campaign committee," and "there is no need to hold any regrets."

Assemblyman Kwon Seong-dong, who served as the head of the People Power Party's comprehensive support headquarters and party secretary-general, also announced his resignation on the same day. In a post on Facebook, Assemblyman Kwon bowed his head and said, "I will serve quietly for the newly reborn candidate Yoon Seok-yeol," and "I sincerely apologize to the people who were disappointed by the series of situations."

He continued, "Even when some called me a so-called Yunhaekgwan and attacked me, I had much to say to the public but did not," emphasizing, "Internal conflict is a shortcut to defeat. I hope that all dissatisfaction and division will disappear cleanly with my resignation."

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