"We Need Both Yun Hae-gwan and Lee Jun-seok"... 'New Yun Hae-gwan' Yoon Sang-hyun's 'Multiplicative Politics'

Yoon Sang-hyun, 'Incheon 4-term' who challenged for the next party leader of the Democratic Party
"Politics of addition and multiplication, not subtraction"
'Lee Jun-seok card' "Should definitely be used if necessary"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kum Boryeong] As the party convention to elect the new leader of the People Power Party is set for early March next year, the movements of the party leadership candidates are becoming busy. Among them, Representative Yoon Sang-hyun, who has emerged as a ‘new Yoon core insider’ (a key figure close to President Yoon Seok-yeol), has already expressed his intention to run for party leadership and started warming up.

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 13th, Representative Yoon said, “Having a strategic message and policy for the metropolitan area in mind, and with sufficient experience of fiercely competing in the metropolitan area, I decided to challenge (for party leader).” He emphasized that he is a talent who meets the ‘metropolitan area theory’ often mentioned as a condition for party leadership. Representative Yoon has been elected four consecutive terms only in Incheon, which is part of the metropolitan area.

He brought up ‘unity’ as his unique differentiator. Representative Yoon said, “I aim for politics of addition and multiplication, not subtraction,” adding, “At least for a party leader, there should be leadership that keeps all members on board until the train reaches its final destination.” He continued, “We need President Yoon Seok-yeol, we need the Yoon core insiders, and we need former party leader Lee Jun-seok,” and added, “Having the political belief of addition through unity is necessary to win the general election, and I think that conviction is my own distinctive symbol.”

He also intends to continue the ‘change’ and ‘innovation’ that former leader Lee brought to the People Power Party. Representative Yoon said, “We must carry on the legacy of change and innovation, solidarity with the younger generation, companionship with the underprivileged, and sincerity toward Honam that former leader Lee infused into our party as assets,” and stated, “Now is the time for everyone to unite as one for national normalization, political reform, the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, and victory in the general election.” Regarding whether to use the ‘Lee Jun-seok card’ in the general election, he responded positively, saying, “If necessary, it should definitely be utilized.”

Meanwhile, Representative Yoon explained, “For a long time, the People Power Party has called for ‘change and innovation,’ but it still has a strong image of being old-fashioned and stuck in old ways,” and added, “From now on, a delicate approach toward supporters is needed.”

He cited the ‘control tower’ as the most urgent party reform task, meaning there is no prepared talent. Representative Yoon said, “The party, which is tightly united only by individual interests, must be completely overhauled.”

Regarding being classified as a ‘new Yoon core insider,’ Representative Yoon also drew a line. He said, “The reason the term ‘new Yoon core insider’ came up is a reflective meaning that a new person is needed to replace the ‘Yoon core insiders,’ but it does not mean that the ‘new Yoon core insider’ is necessarily Yoon Sang-hyun,” and added, “I absolutely do not want to engage in acts that seem like selling Yoon’s favor while rising and falling as a party leadership candidate. I must be able to stand as party leader based on self-reliance theory.”

Since the newly elected party leader will lead the ‘2024 general election,’ Representative Yoon’s passion for ‘victory in the general election’ was not hidden. He emphasized, “True regime change has not yet come, and we must win the general election,” and said, “Only by becoming the majority party can we support the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s governance and lay a solid foundation for the next presidential election.”

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