Honam·Ree Yong-ho, Re-elected, Declares Candidacy for Ruling Party's First Floor Leader... "Elections Were Held Even During the Korean War (Comprehensive)"

Yongho Lee, the secretary of the Political Affairs, Judiciary, and Administration Subcommittee, is briefing on the issue of expanding promotions to senior positions of police officers with the rank of superintendent or higher and the introduction of multiple ranks for police officers who started as patrol officers at the briefing room of the Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 15th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Lee Yong-ho, a re-elected member of the People Power Party (PPP) from Honam, announced his candidacy for the PPP floor leader election scheduled for the 19th. Amid the 'endorsement theory' where no one dared to step forward, Lee was the first to open fire. He emphasized, "In emergency situations, leadership should be established through a primary election."

On the 15th, right after declaring his candidacy at the National Assembly Communication Office, Lee told reporters, "Looking back at the history of the Republic of Korea, presidential elections were held even during the Korean War," explaining his stance.

He said he solidified his decision to run during the recent Chuseok holiday, adding, "There are more distinguished multi-term lawmakers, but they were hesitating. If competition does not occur, it will not benefit the People Power Party either. I thought it was necessary for me to first create the arena for competition."

With the candidacy declaration of the re-elected Lee, attention is focused on whether lawmakers with three or more terms, who were considered candidates for floor leader, will follow suit. Currently, there are as many as 10 candidates with three or more terms.

Yoon Sang-hyun, also considered one of the floor leader candidates, previously raised his voice on social networking services (SNS), arguing that the floor leader primary should be postponed until after the provisional injunction ruling.

Lee does not oppose this view either. He said, "One of the arguments is that depending on the outcome of the provisional injunction, the status of the floor leader may change, so a more experienced person should take the position," but added, "Even now, saying 'the floor leader election can be held later' is a way to resolve it. It is hard to accept the idea of appointing an experienced person as floor leader just because such an injunction might be accepted in the future."

In his candidacy declaration that day, he also pointed out, "All senior and junior lawmakers of the People Power Party are dignified and excellent, but they are not sensitive to crises," and criticized, "Even in the current situation where the party faces a major crisis, only regressive remarks such as rotating the floor leader or endorsement theories are emerging."

He continued, "We must definitely break away from the same figures and the same structure, destroy factions, destroy seniority, and break the regional structure to transform the party into a new form," expressing confidence that "Choosing me, Lee Yong-ho, who represents Honam and is practical and moderately conservative, will give the People Power Party a fresh shock to the public."

There is also talk about whether the new floor leader’s term will be one year or only until the end of the current floor leader Kwon Seong-dong’s term. Regarding this, Lee said, "If there is a primary, the term should naturally be fulfilled. It is not appropriate to handle the situation and decide with makeshift logic or various excuses."

The upcoming floor leader election is ultimately expected to be decided by 'Yoon's mind (윤심)'. Lee, from Honam, participated in the Presidential Transition Committee and is classified as a 'pro-Yoon'. He was also rumored to be a candidate for the Honam quota member of the new emergency committee. Regarding this, Lee said, "They say three people can create a tiger that does not exist, but the 'Yoon's mind' that is now being talked about is a tiger you all created," adding, "I can be seen as pro-Yoon close to President Yoon, but I have no faction and no power."

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