Lee Jun-seok "Lee Jae-myung in Gyeyang-eul, Ahn Cheol-soo in Bundang-gap... Hard to See as Running in Difficult Districts"

"It’s Not Like They Enter Politics Just to Become a Member of the National Assembly Once"

People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok is visiting the 6th Marine Brigade in Baengnyeongdo, Ongjin-gun, Incheon on the 11th, delivering an encouraging speech. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, criticized Ahn Cheol-soo, former chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee running in Bundang-gap, Gyeonggi Province, and Lee Jae-myung, senior advisor of the Democratic Party running in Gyeyang-eul, Incheon, in the June 1 by-elections for the National Assembly.

On the 11th, Lee appeared on KBS Radio's 'Choi Kyung-young's Strongest Current Affairs' and said about Lee Jae-myung running in Gyeyang-eul, Incheon, "He announced his candidacy less than two months after losing the presidential election. It's strange that he is not running in Bundang-gap, Seongnam, which includes Daejang-dong, the biggest achievement he always promoted."

He cited his own constituency, Nowon-byeong, Seoul, as an example, saying, "If by-elections were held in both Sanggye-dong and Bundang, it would be strange if I went to Bundang without running in Sanggye-dong. He lived in Bundang and had memories like eating beef there, but suddenly going to Gyeyang was a bit puzzling," he pointed out.

Regarding Ahn Cheol-soo running in Bundang-gap, he said, "Some say this is a second round of the presidential election, or a proxy battle between the two candidates. But a proxy battle means the two face each other directly, or one challenges the other's difficult constituency," he criticized.

He added, "Bundang-gap was a district where our party's incumbent lawmaker was, and Gyeyang-eul in Incheon has always been a stronghold of the Democratic Party. It is hard to see their candidacies as running in difficult districts."

When asked by the host if Ahn was given a strategic nomination, Lee replied, "It was a single nomination," and said, "Strategic nomination and single nomination are different."

When asked if Ahn is expected to compete for party leadership, he said, "I don't think he is doing politics just to become a member of the National Assembly once," and added, "His challenge in this election is to find a role within the party. If he wants to compete for party leadership later, he must actively participate within the party."

Meanwhile, on the same day (the 11th), Lee visited the 6th Marine Brigade in Baengnyeongdo, the westernmost frontline, with fellow party lawmakers as his first external public schedule as the ruling party leader.

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