The Meaning of Yongho Lee's 42 Votes 'Campaign'... Intra-Party 'Yun Hae-gwan' Check and Promotion Theory Dissatisfaction

Jo Hae-jin, who faced Kwon Seong-dong, received double the 21 votes
"Is it Yoon's support or Kwon's?"... Checking 'Yoon Core Group' marketing
Joo Ho-young's 'overambition', Lee Yong-ho's 'Honam pride' perspectives

Rep. Lee Yong-ho of the People Power Party is declaring his candidacy for floor leader at the National Assembly Communication Office on the 15th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporters Lee Ji-eun and Lee Hyun-joo] On the 19th, as 5-term lawmaker Joo Ho-young from the 'Pro-Yoon' faction was elected as the new floor leader to lead the People Power Party, attention also turned to 2-term lawmaker Lee Yong-ho, who performed well by securing 42 votes, accounting for 40% of the total. His unusual strong showing is interpreted as reflecting resistance to the 'endorsement theory' centered on Pro-Yoon lawmakers and a check against the 'Yoon core group.'

Immediately after being elected, the new floor leader Joo evaluated Lee's 42 votes by saying, "He performed well," and added, "This result also reflects concerns about him serving as floor leader for the second time and the party's desire to have their voices heard healthily."

The election, a two-way contest between Joo Ho-young and Lee Yong-ho, was expected to result in an overwhelming victory for Joo before the vote count was announced. Joo was in a favorable position to the extent that an endorsement theory based on 'Yoon's mind (Yunshim)' had emerged. Additionally, since the court ruling required Deputy Chairman Jeong Jin-seok to concurrently hold his position, public opinion strongly favored 5-term Joo taking on the floor leader role.

However, the actual results differed. Joo received 61 votes, just over the majority, while Lee received 42 votes, a mere 19-vote difference. If only 10 lawmakers who participated in the vote had changed their minds, a dramatic reversal could have been possible. This is twice the 21 votes that 'non-Pro-Yoon' lawmaker Cho Hae-jin received in the April floor leader race against 'Pro-Yoon' Kwon Seong-dong.

This is interpreted as a result of the 'Yoonshim marketing' centered on Pro-Yoon lawmakers backfiring and causing resentment. Pro-Yoon lawmakers such as floor leader Kwon Seong-dong and lawmaker Yoon Han-hong promoted the 'endorsement theory' for Joo, leading many senior lawmakers who initially planned to run to withdraw their candidacies. In his floor leader candidacy speech, Lee targeted this by saying, "You must have been confused because of Yoonshim, but I don't know if it's 'Yoonshim' or 'Kwonshim,'" and added, "Even in elementary school class president elections, we don't just follow the teacher's intentions."

Moreover, the desire to check the 'Yoon core group,' which influenced internal party opinion, also played a role. With prominent 'Yoon core group' members such as Jang Je-won and Kwon Seong-dong stepping back from their second terms, lawmakers' will to check the Yoon core group and pursue 'personnel reform' was reflected in the vote. A senior lawmaker analyzed, "There is also the meaning of reform, and amid the controversy over 'Yoonshim,' if the party mobilizes votes in a coordinated manner, the public might see it as old-fashioned, which seems to have influenced the outcome."

Not only the check against 'Yoonshim' but also the individual qualities of the candidates appeared to influence the vote. In Joo's case, having already served once as floor leader of the People Power Party's predecessor, the United Future Party, many viewed his challenge for the floor leader position again as 'overambition.' Although the People Power Party's stronghold is the Daegu-Gyeongbuk (TK) region, there is also an assessment that giving too little consideration to Lee, who is from Honam, could send a negative message to Honam voters, thus preserving Lee's dignity.

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