Yoo In-tae: "Only those who knew Lee Nak-yeon campaign in local elections... Candidates feel disappointed as support requests are not accepted"

Former Leader of the Democratic Party Lee Nak-yeon. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Yoo In-tae, Chairman of the Political Subcommittee of the National Assembly's National Integration Committee, is holding a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 7th, urging for "constitutional amendment and political reform measures and prompt agreement between the ruling and opposition parties." Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Yoo In-tae, a senior opposition figure and former Secretary-General of the National Assembly, mentioned on the 9th that former Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon caused some disappointment among certain candidates during the local elections.

Yoo, appearing on CBS Radio's Kim Hyun-jung's News Show that day, spoke about Lee, who recently left for the United States as a visiting researcher, saying, "Before he left, since he was in the country anyway, it seems he caused considerable disappointment to candidates who ran in the local elections."

He added, "Requests for support came only from people Lee knew personally or those who worked in his camp, and he only went to those areas to offer support. Many others who did not receive support feel quite disappointed."

Yoo said, "If he was going to stay in Korea anyway, people asked him to help a bit, but he didn’t actively go out to support, whether it helped the votes or not. For example, several requests from metropolitan government heads were mostly ignored," adding, "So, there have been quite a few voices expressing disappointment."

Yoo acknowledged that he was offered the position of Emergency Committee Chairman by the Democratic Party, saying, "What could someone outside the party do if they suddenly took a two-month term? I was approached, but they said if someone among the lawmakers could successfully hold the party convention, they should do it."

He continued, "If the party convention was a year away, it might be different, but since the convention is in two months, it’s not suitable to take on the Emergency Committee Chairman role."

Regarding the Emergency Committee, Yoo said, "Where is there an innovation emergency committee that lasts only two months? It’s right for someone who can manage the party convention well and help resolve internal conflicts to take on the role of chairman."

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