With '100% Party Support' Approval... Kim Woong Says "Match-Fixing Will Drive Fans Away"

Jeong Jin-seok "Party members with ideology and philosophy should elect the party leader"

Kim Woong "He talks at length about 'Absolutely no to Yoo Seung-min'"

Yoon Sang-hyun "There are still procedures left, please reconsider"

Jung Jin-seok, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, is checking his speech before speaking at the Emergency Response Committee meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] On the 19th, the Emergency Committee of the People Power Party decided to amend the party constitution regulation, which currently reflects 70% party member votes and 30% public opinion polls in the election of the party leader, to 100% party member votes. This decision has sparked opposition voices within the party.

After the Emergency Committee meeting, Emergency Committee Chairman Jeong Jin-seok told reporters, "The decision was made unanimously by the Emergency Committee and will be referred to the Standing National Committee," adding, "It is natural that party members who share the same ideology, philosophy, and goals elect the party leader."

However, some criticism has arisen suggesting that this move targets former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min.

Kim Woong, a representative non-Yoon faction member of the People Power Party, posted on his Facebook page a photo from 2018 showing then Liberty Korea Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party) leader Hong Joon-pyo kneeling and apologizing after a devastating defeat in the local elections. He wrote, "Will this happen again in April 2024?" and asked, "Even if we pleaded to respect the will of the people then, would the people who were betrayed once return?"

Kim continued, "Hospitality is written on water, but neglect is carved in stone," warning, "The people will remember today’s abandonment of the public in favor of power." He added through hashtags, "If match-fixing runs rampant, fans will leave; absolutely no to Yoo Seung-min, talking so long."

Lawmaker Heo Eun-ah also expressed her opposition on Facebook, stating, "I clearly oppose the party heading down an irreversible path," and noted, "In an era with 44 million voters and party approval ratings in the 30% range, at least 10 million members should join to be called a 'genuine national party.' Although 800,000 members is a large number, there are still too many citizens who support the party but have not joined as members."

Heo also pointed out, "While concerns about reverse selection are somewhat understandable, public opinion polls use random sampling, so including such cases is practically impossible," and criticized, "The biggest concern is the entrenchment of factional politics."

Yoon Sang-hyun, a lawmaker mentioned as a potential party leader candidate, posted on Facebook immediately after the Emergency Committee’s decision, saying, "Even if there is strong demand within the party to elect the party leader with 100% party member votes, it is regrettable that this was pushed through hastily without gathering opinions from party members and the public," and added, "My call for caution in rule changes was not for personal gain or loss but solely for the party’s victory in the general election as a desperate lawmaker from the Seoul metropolitan area."

Yoon urged, "There are still procedures left with the Standing National Committee and the National Committee. Please reconsider once again."

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