Opposition Party Prepares 'Innovation Emergency Committee'... Elders Remain Indifferent

Kim Boo-kyum and Yoo In-tae also say "We will not do it"
Some lawmaker recommendations expected at the party meeting that day

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Naju-seok and Park Joon-yi] The Democratic Party of Korea is fervently working on forming a new emergency leadership system. In particular, as senior figures both inside and outside the party are being mentioned as candidates for the new emergency committee chairperson, no one has been willing to step forward easily to lead the party’s reform efforts over the next two months.

On the 7th, Oh Young-hwan, the Democratic Party floor spokesperson, told reporters after the floor strategy meeting, "If recommendations for emergency committee members are made today by first-term, second-term, and multiple-term lawmakers or by groups, those will be shared at the party caucus meeting. The final decision will not be made at the caucus but will go through the party affairs committee to secure procedural legitimacy. Our goal is to finalize the additional composition of emergency committee members, including some youth and women members, as well as the decision on the chairperson within this week."

However, regarding the recently rumored candidates for the emergency committee chairperson, he dismissed it as "individual opinions of those mentioned." The candidates being discussed both inside and outside the party include senior figures such as former National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, former National Assembly Secretary-General Yoo In-tae, and former Prime Ministers Kim Boo-kyum and Chung Sye-kyun. He added, "I cannot say that these are being discussed internally. There is no basis for the names or details being mentioned."

The emergency committee chairperson will lead the party for about two months until the party convention in August. Given that this person will be responsible for the party’s reform and innovation following the election defeat, the role and responsibility are expected to be significant. In this situation, senior figures seem reluctant to take on the chairperson role. Former Secretary-General Yoo told this publication in a phone interview that when asked if he had been offered the chairperson position, he flatly said, "I will not do it." A representative from former Prime Minister Kim’s side also waved off the suggestion, saying, "No interest." Former Speaker Moon reportedly declined the party’s invitation due to health reasons.

The Democratic Party plans to discuss the formation of the emergency committee at the party caucus meeting scheduled for this afternoon.

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