The Expression of Lee Changed Before and After Summons, Future Response Plans [Lee Jun-seok Aftershock]

Lee Signals Full Effort to Retain Party Leadership
Internal Strife Expected Amid 'Kwon Seong-dong Acting Leadership'
Lee Jun-seok Contemplating Countermeasures, Expected to Announce Position Soon

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Hyun-ji] “My heart feels so heavy and empty,” “The sorrow of the past year truly welled up inside me.”

On the 7th, Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, appeared before the party’s Ethics Committee and sighed deeply in front of reporters, saying this. Unlike usual, he spoke slowly for about four minutes, suppressing his emotions with each word. His eyes reddened and his voice choked, causing him to pause briefly. Upon entering the meeting room, he said, “I’m not sure if I can fully present my prepared statement or even have the will to do so.”

After nearly three hours of testimony, Lee’s expression appeared confident. He expressed confidence, saying, “I accurately explained the questions raised by the Ethics Committee from my perspective.” He also showed a faint smile, adding, “I hope this process will bring an end to much confusion within the party.” On that day, the Ethics Committee focused on questioning Lee about whether he instructed Kim Cheol-geun, the party leader’s political secretary, to meet with Mr. Jang, the whistleblower, to silence him. Lee reportedly denied ever receiving sexual bribery or ordering evidence destruction.

Claiming his innocence, Lee directly gave an interview even after the severe disciplinary action, expressing his refusal to accept it. On the 8th, on KBS Radio’s “Choi Kyung-young’s Strong Current Affairs,” he said, “I don’t think I made any particularly wrong responses,” and criticized the Ethics Committee’s decision, stating, “Punishing because it’s hard to believe is a very arbitrary standard. Such discipline is somewhat difficult to understand.” He also insisted that the newly revealed allegations of ‘higher-up’ involvement need to be examined.

Lee has announced his intention to retain his position as party leader and respond with full force. When asked if he planned to step down, he said, “I have no such intention,” drawing a line against voluntary resignation. He added, “If the situation is not convincing, I plan to withhold disciplinary action. When the circumstances become acceptable, I will naturally accept it, but not at this time. I will consider all measures such as injunctions or retrials.”

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, attended the party floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly on the 8th. After finishing his remarks, he listened to a fellow lawmaker's speech with a serious expression. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

However, as public opinion grows that the suspension of party membership rights has already taken effect, Lee has few options left. Floor leader Kwon Seong-dong immediately declared the ‘Kwon Seong-dong acting leadership system’ and is accelerating preparations for the next leadership formation. The general view is that the parliamentary meeting convened by Kwon on the 11th will be a turning point determining the direction of the party’s internal strife. Lee is also expected to carefully consider countermeasures over the weekend and release a statement.

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