Yoon Directly Confronts Lee Jun-seok... "'Former Regime Minister' Should Not Make Such Remarks"

Acceleration of Transition to Emergency Committee Raises Issues with 'Anonymous Statement'
Indicates Legal Action, Signaling Intensified Internal Conflict within People Power Party

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporters Kum Boryeong, Kwon Hyunji] Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, has launched a direct attack on President Yoon Seok-yeol and the presidential office. As the transition to a 'Emergency Response Committee' system accelerates, making Lee's return unlikely, he has even hinted at legal action, intensifying the internal conflict within the People Power Party.

On the 4th, Lee stated on his Facebook, regarding President Yoon's remark on the 5th of last month, "Have you ever seen such an excellent minister appointed by the previous administration?" that "This statement should never have been made."

Lee continued, "What is more serious than this remark is that although it was caught on video, Kang In-seon, the presidential office spokesperson, smiled broadly and followed the president immediately after the statement, rather than explaining or supplementing the remark to the media," adding, "The presidential office neither had the courage to point out that this statement was wrong nor the sense of responsibility to correct it in such a situation."

This criticism originated from a Chosun Ilbo column shared by Lee. The article contained testimony that Park Min-young, the People Power Party spokesperson, angered President Yoon by openly criticizing him on social media (SNS). The column speculated that President Yoon assumed Lee was behind Park's criticism and that this influenced the party's Ethics Committee decision on the 7th of last month, two days after the criticism. Park is a member of the second cohort of 'I am a National Representative,' a project promoted by Lee. Lee called this "testimony that makes one doubt their eyes," emphasizing, "If this situation occurred because Park criticized the president, it is deeply regrettable."

Lee is expected to continue voicing criticism toward President Yoon and the party for the time being. With the Standing National Committee and the National Committee scheduled for the 5th and 9th respectively, the party is accelerating the transition to the Emergency Response Committee system. In response, Lee pointed out an 'anonymous statement' by first-term lawmakers and hinted at legal action. He said the previous day, "Claiming that 32 out of 63 first-term lawmakers constitute a majority by using anonymity and withholding names is a low-level act," adding, "I will organize and keep all records public from now on. It seems necessary soon."

The party is struggling to appoint the Emergency Response Committee chairperson. Since the role requires stabilizing the party until the party convention, there is strong support for a senior lawmaker familiar with internal affairs. However, opinions continue to emerge that an external figure is needed to change the party in this emergency situation. Most agree that pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) figures should be excluded. A first-term lawmaker explained to Asia Economy, "The first-term lawmakers' opinion is that someone with a stable managerial style within the parliamentary floor, rather than a person with a strong pro-Yoon color, should take the role." A senior lawmaker also said, "Some members say that if someone within the Yoon core group comes, the Emergency Response Committee would be pointless."

Regarding the Emergency Response Committee, plans are also underway to allow Lee to return after his party membership suspension is lifted. Lawmakers Ha Tae-kyung and Cho Hae-jin announced at a press conference that they would propose to the National Committee that the Emergency Response Committee system continue until the party leader's incapacitation status is resolved. Since the Emergency Response Committee was launched under an acting leadership system, Lee should be allowed to return as party leader.

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