Yoo Seung-min: "Yoon Should Practice Big-hearted Politics, Not Petty Politics... Will Lead Innovation and Change if Elected Party Leader"

"'Chinbak' and 'Bibak' Factions Led to Our Party's Downfall"
Decision on Running in the Party Convention Not Yet Made

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Yoo Seung-min, a former lawmaker and one of the ruling party's presidential candidates, raised his voice toward President Yoon Seok-yeol, urging him to "stop petty politics and practice magnanimous politics."

On the afternoon of the 26th, Yoo appeared on SBS's 'Joo Young-jin's News Briefing' and said, "The People Power Party acts as if President Yoon is at the center of the world, dividing into 'pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol)' and 'anti-Yoon,' but our party collapsed after dividing into 'pro-Park (pro-Park Geun-hye)' and 'anti-Park'."

He was referring to the past when the ruling party during the Park Geun-hye administration was split into pro-Park and anti-Park factions, which eventually led to its destruction due to impeachment.

Ahead of the party convention scheduled for early March next year, the People Power Party revised the primary election rules from reflecting 70% party member votes and 30% general public opinion polls to reflecting 100% party member votes. This move is interpreted as targeting Yoo, who enjoys high support among moderate voters. During this process, allegations arose that 'Yoon's mind (尹心)' influenced the decision, leading to criticism of "petty politics."

On the same day, Park Yong-jin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' that "Suddenly changing the party convention rules right before the party leader election is a move to exclude someone," and added, "It typically shows how petty President Yoon Seok-yeol's politics are."

Yoo sincerely appealed to the public and party members, saying, "I have always believed that if conservative politics change, Korean politics will change," and "Isn't the reason for doing politics to create a better world than now?" He urged for the support of party members.

Regarding whether he will run in the party convention, he said he has not yet made a decision but stated, "If I run for party leader and become the party leader, I will create innovation and change, making the People Power Party not of 20 years ago but one that moves forward," and "I will definitely take the lead in that change and innovation."

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