Lee Jun-seok Holds Another Press Conference, Ruling Party Likely to Return to Joo Ho-young Leadership... Endless 'Repetitive' Political Conflict

Failed once, the Emergency Committee speeds up re-launch by amending party rules
'Injunction after injunction'... Lee Jun-seok continues legal battle

Former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok is seen with reddened eyes while speaking to party members on Kim Kwang-seok Street in Jung-gu, Daegu, on the afternoon of the 4th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Former People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok held a press conference in Daegu on the 4th, criticizing the party's re-launch of the Emergency Response Committee (ERC). He called the PPP's move to initiate amendments to the party constitution and regulations for the formation of a new ERC "unconstitutional," urging Daegu citizens to "raise a bamboo clapper" against it. Despite this, the PPP plans to complete the formation of the new ERC before the Chuseok holiday. The process of launching the ERC, which had previously stalled once, is repeating like a "refrain," with internal political strife within the ruling party continuing endlessly.

At a press conference held on the 4th at Kim Kwang-seok Street in Daebong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu, Lee Jun-seok pointed out that the party's current situation is "more dangerous than during the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye," adding, "Ignoring court rulings and hastily retroactively amending the party constitution and regulations to cover up their own shameful acts is unconstitutional."

Lee also made remarks targeting President Yoon Suk-yeol. "It is your freedom to dislike the party leader for internal backstabbing and to gossip behind his back after ousting him. However, arbitrarily amending the party constitution and regulations and shaking up party affairs infringes on others' freedoms and is an overreach of authority," he raised his voice.

He further stated, "Even as more than half of the public points out that this is wrong, passing this at the National Committee (Jeon-guk-wi) means they cannot block their disregard for the constitution at the party level and will once again provoke judicial intervention," adding, "It is shameful and deplorable."

Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, is attending the 4th National Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th, wearing a serious expression. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

Earlier, the court accepted Lee’s injunction request to suspend the execution of duties by Emergency Response Committee Chair Joo Ho-young, judging that the party was not in an "emergency situation," which caused the PPP’s ERC launch to stall once. In response, the PPP has accelerated procedural adjustments for the new ERC launch, including amending the party constitution and regulations to specify the conditions for an emergency situation.

On the 2nd, the PPP held a Standing National Committee meeting and approved an amendment to Article 96, Paragraph 1 of the party constitution. The amendment clearly defines the party’s emergency situation as "when four or more of the five elected Supreme Council members resign." This clarifies the previously vague wording of "when the party leader is vacant or the Supreme Council loses its function, etc." The amendment also explicitly states that the positions and authority of the party leader and Supreme Council members are lost upon the ERC’s launch.

The PPP plans to hold a National Committee meeting on the 5th to finalize the amendments and launch the new ERC on the 8th. It is reported that the new ERC chairperson is likely to be Joo Ho-young, whose duties were suspended in the previous ERC. Although criticism calling it the "Joo Ho-young ERC" is strong, since the previous ERC was halted not due to internal issues but by judicial intervention, the party apparently sees no reason to replace the chairperson.

However, the new ERC may also be halted. Lee Jun-seok has indicated that he will continue legal battles following the public opinion fight. Lee’s side has announced plans to file an injunction immediately upon the new ERC’s launch on the 8th, requesting suspension of duties for the ERC chairperson and all members. Lee has already submitted an injunction request to the court to prohibit the National Committee meeting that approved the amendments to the party constitution and regulations. With the PPP pushing forward with the ERC system and Lee refusing to back down, conflicts over the ruling party’s leadership structure are expected to be difficult to resolve in the near future.

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