Shaky Lee Jae-myung Leadership... Facing 'Party Withdrawal Theory'

Lee Jae-myung Representative Ahead of Prosecutor Appearance
Park Young-sun "Should Apologize If Wrong"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, has declared that he will confidently respond to the prosecution's summons regarding the allegations of sponsorship funds for Seongnam FC, signaling that next year will likely be a year in which the Democratic Party focuses all efforts on addressing the 'Lee Jae-myung judicial risk.'

Although he initially refused the date (the 28th) requested by the prosecution due to local schedules, he explained that he will comply with the summons after coordinating a future date. For now, the Democratic Party has stepped back from criticism of being a 'shield party,' but opposition to the party bearing the burden of Lee’s personal issues continues, raising concerns that the momentum of 'Lee Jae-myung’s leadership' may weaken as the prosecution’s investigation progresses.

According to political circles on the 28th, voices within the Democratic Party are calling for preparations of a Plan B to respond to the judicial political situation expected to intensify from early next year. Following demands that Lee should step down for the April 2024 general election, the possibility of 'leaving the party' has now been raised.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee Won-wook, a lawmaker considered part of the anti-Lee faction, appeared on KBS Radio that day and predicted that if the judicial risk related to Lee continues, demands for his 'leaving the party' will inevitably arise. He estimated the threshold for such demands at 100 degrees, saying the current level is about 70 to 80 degrees, and that the catalyst will be the point when the prosecution presents clear evidence related to the allegations.

Lee said, "Despite the Yoon Seok-youl government performing so poorly, the Democratic Party’s support cannot catch up with the People Power Party. If it is judged that the cause is Lee’s judicial risk, then such (Lee’s leaving the party) demands seem quite possible." He added, "Past presidents Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun, and Lee Myung-bak also faced similar situations," and said, "Even if the prosecution cannot present any evidence, if the judiciary continues to debate, such a possibility exists."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Currently, the pro-Lee faction defends Lee’s innocence, but if a situation arises that burdens the general election, demands for leaving the party will inevitably pour in regardless of judicial matters. This is interpreted as meaning that if demands for presidents to leave the party have been made in the past political arena, it would be even more difficult for a party leader to avoid such demands.

Calls for Lee to step down have also come from senior lawmakers. On the 19th, Ahn Min-sik, a five-term lawmaker, said on KBS Radio, "Continuing to serve as party leader is not wise for Lee or the party," and added, "Lee must coldly calculate and decide what is the wisest course of action." He said, "Generally, if there is such (judicial risk) an issue, one should not serve as party leader," and warned, "If this continues until the general election, it would be the worst situation for the party." Seol Hoon, a five-term lawmaker classified as part of the Lee Nak-yeon faction, also urged Lee to "step down as party leader even now," mentioning the possibility of a caretaker committee system.

Although it is difficult to predict Lee’s future position, there are ongoing calls for him to at least demonstrate proper leadership first. Park Young-sun, former minister and chair of the Digital Transformation Committee for Lee Jae-myung’s presidential campaign, pointed out to Lee that "if there is something wrong, an apology is necessary."

Park appeared on MBC Radio and said regarding Lee’s acceptance of the prosecution’s summons, "He must face it confidently," adding, "Lee should inform the public about the prosecution’s behavior, clarify what is not true, and if there is anything wrong, apologize. He should reveal honestly to the public if there are points where he needs to apologize, while also making clear that the prosecution’s investigation is a form of political retaliation. This is the way to gain support."

She then harshly criticized the Democratic Party’s situation as "the elephant in the room." She said, "This is a famous story from Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg, where everyone knows something is wrong but no one talks about it," and added, "South Korea’s political circles are the elephant in the room, and the Democratic Party is no exception."

A Democratic Party official said, "Since the current leadership is composed entirely of pro-Lee lawmakers, there is a blind spot in objectively viewing the current situation," and added, "Out of the 169 Democratic Party lawmakers, how many can be considered pro-Lee? More than 100 are either anti-Lee or unaffiliated with any faction, so it is time to consider how to win over these members and lead the party."

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