Lee Jun-seok Criticizes 'Yun Hae-gwan' by Naming Them Directly: The Reason Behind It

Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, held a press conference on the 13th at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, where he directly expressed his position regarding the provisional injunction application related to the party's transition to an emergency response committee system. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok officially criticized Yoonhaekgwan (key figures close to President Yoon Seok-yeol) by name for the first time in 36 days since his disciplinary action, demanding that they run in the Seoul metropolitan area’s weak districts. This is interpreted as an attempt to strengthen the party’s 'Yoonhaekgwan responsibility theory.'

On the 13th, Lee held a press conference at the National Assembly communication office and said, "The reason this administration is in crisis is that what Yoonhaekgwan wants, what President Yoon Seok-yeol wants, and what many party members and citizens want do not align at all."

He then strongly criticized by naming individuals, saying, "Yoonhaekgwan members Kwon Seong-dong, Lee Cheol-gyu, Jang Je-won, and Yoonhaekgwan supporters such as Jeong Jin-seok, Kim Jeong-jae, and Park Soo-young should all declare their candidacy in Seoul’s Gangbuk area or weak districts in the metropolitan area to contribute to the Yoon Seok-yeol government’s victory in the general election."

He said, "Those called so-called Yoonhaekgwan are all people who were elected in our party’s strong constituencies," adding, "Those running in constituencies where they can win just by receiving nominations, such as Gyeongsang Province, Gangwon Province, or the Gangnam 3 districts, are people who have little to gain from the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol government." This implies that Yoonhaekgwan members are acting against the wishes of party members and citizens to pursue their own interests.

Although Lee has criticized Yoonhaekgwan several times in the past, this is the first time he has openly named them so explicitly. This is interpreted as a strategic move to strengthen the 'Yoonhaekgwan responsibility theory' amid the unprecedented early decline in approval ratings and the ruling party’s transition to a non-standing committee, which has caused party dysfunction.

His personal anger toward Yoonhaekgwan also appears to be a reason for the direct naming. When asked why he showed tears at the press conference, he said, "Ultimately, my anger is the greatest. In just over a month, I was traveling around the provinces meeting party members and spending time writing a book, but they were creating an emergency situation by conspiring among themselves."

He also said that President Yoon could become a scapegoat for Yoonhaekgwan. Lee said, "Yoonhaekgwan are people who lack the ability to run a party or the country, so they will look for scapegoats," adding, "They might broaden the scope of scapegoats and possibly even make the people they support into scapegoats."

He also hinted at further revelations through a book. When asked by reporters whether he had said everything he wanted to say about President Yoon and Yoonhaekgwan at the press conference, he said, "Why would I write a book?" implying that he will reveal more detailed stories through a future book. In his statement that day, he also revealed, "Over the past month, I have been traveling nationwide, meeting party members in the evenings, and spending the rest of the time writing a book on the party’s innovation direction, which is nearing completion."

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