The Democratic Party's Emergency Committee Approves Party Constitution Amendment for '100% Party Member Voting' in Party Leader Election

by Lee Hyeonjoo

by Keum Boryeong

Published 19 Dec.2022 10:58(KST)

Jin Jeong-seok, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Joo Ho-young, Floor Leader, are attending the Emergency Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy reporters Hyunju Lee and Boryeong Geum] The Emergency Committee of the People Power Party has officially begun revising the rules for selecting the next party leader. The revision involves amending the party constitution and regulations, which currently allocate 70% weight to party member electoral college votes and 30% to opinion polls in the election of the party leader and supreme council members, to expand the party member vote to 100%. As opinions among the party leadership candidates diverge, criticism from non-Yoon faction lawmakers is expected to continue.

After the Emergency Committee meeting on the 19th, Committee Chair Jung Jin-seok told reporters, "The committee unanimously resolved to refer the matter to the Standing National Committee," and announced that the amendment to expand the party member vote to 100% had been approved. This move gained momentum following his statement at the Emergency Committee meeting on the 15th about restoring 'party democracy' through constitutional amendment, and reports that President Yoon Seok-yeol mentioned '100% party member voting.'

The Emergency Committee also introduced a runoff voting system and added provisions to prevent so-called 'reverse selection.' When conducting opinion polls for internal party primaries for presidential candidates or others who are not party leaders, it will be mandatory to limit the polls to People Power Party supporters and those without any party affiliation.

Chair Jung emphasized, "The party must unite for the success of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration and the victory in the general election the year after next," while warning against internal factions opposing the amendment. He added, "The party leader is elected by party members. A political party is a collective of people who share ideology and philosophy, gathered to achieve regime acquisition and successful governance. It is natural that party members who share the same ideology, philosophy, and goals elect the party leader."

According to the People Power Party, the number of responsible party members has increased significantly from 280,000 to 790,000 over the past year and a half. With the proportion of responsible members in their 20s, 30s, and 40s also rising to the 30% range, the party interprets that voting reflecting the overall population distribution is possible even without including opinion polls.

The positions of the party leadership candidates are divided. Lawmakers Kim Ki-hyun, Kwon Seong-dong, and Cho Kyung-tae, who have relatively low public recognition and are heavily influenced by party sentiment, support the rule change. On the other hand, the non-Yoon faction, which has consistently opposed expanding party member voting, is strongly protesting. On the same day, lawmaker Heo Eun-ah criticized on a radio show, "The Emergency Committee is changing the party convention rules as if it were a tactical operation," and questioned the procedural legitimacy of the rule revision. Earlier, lawmaker Kim Woong posted on his Facebook, "Has the party convention been a funeral for party members rather than a festival for 18 years?" He criticized, "No matter what decorations are made for the rule change, everyone knows it is a fear of Yoo Seung-min. They claim it is a festival for party members, but no one is unaware that it is a 'festival only for Yoon core supporters.'"

Lawmakers Na Kyung-won and Yoon Sang-hyun, classified as pro-Yoon faction, along with Ahn Cheol-soo, are also reported to have expressed negative views on the 100% expansion plan.