'Pro-Yoon' System Strengthened by Party Audit... Will It Affect the Presidential Election?

Non-mainstream faction's 'thinning out' backlash
Party district chiefs with strong influence in the party convention
'Jinyeong voting' possibility rises

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The People Power Party's Special Committee for Organizational Strengthening (JoGang Special Committee) has positioned pro-Yoon (친윤) faction members as heads of major regional party committees, further solidifying the 'pro-Yoon' system within the party.

Moreover, with the recent party convention election rules changed to 100% party member voting, the pro-Yoon faction's advancement in appointing party committee heads, who influence the votes of local party members, is likely to impact the convention results. The anti-Yoon faction has criticized this through social networking services (SNS) and other channels.

Heo Eun-ah, a People Power Party lawmaker from the 'pro-Lee Jun-seok' faction, criticized the JoGang Special Committee's results on SNS on the 29th, saying, "'If you're not pro-Yoon, then get out'?is that what this means?" On the same day, the People Power Party Emergency Committee appointed former lawmaker Kim Kyung-jin, recommended by the JoGang Special Committee, as the organizational committee head for Dongdaemun, replacing Heo. Kim is a pro-Yoon figure who served as the standing public relations special advisor for President Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim Woong, also classified as pro-Lee Jun-seok, criticized on SNS, stating, "A position normally appointed by the party leader was replaced by an emergency committee member appointed by applause." Heo was initially appointed as the organizational committee head for Dongdaemun during former People Power Party leader Lee Jun-seok's tenure but did not receive approval from the Supreme Council and was eventually subjected to a re-examination.

Looking at the JoGang Special Committee's results, the advancement of pro-Yoon faction members is notable. Emergency committee member Kim Jong-hyuk was appointed as the organizational committee head for Goyang-byeong in Gyeonggi Province; former National Assembly Library director Yoo Jong-pil, who served as a special advisor to President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol, was appointed as the organizational committee head for Gwanak-gap in Seoul. Emergency committee member Jeon Ju-hye defeated former presidential campaign spokesperson Yoon Hee-seok to become the organizational committee head for Gangdong-gap in Seoul, and former Gyeonggi Police Agency chief Jeong Yong-seon, who led the fair election promotion team in Yoon Seok-yeol's presidential campaign, was appointed as the organizational committee head for Dangjin City in Chungnam.

Since organizational committee heads become party committee heads after approval by local party organizations, this decision effectively amounts to appointing party committee heads. With the pro-Yoon faction's significant advancement through the JoGang Special Committee's results, the pro-Yoon system within the party is expected to be further strengthened. This is likely to have a major impact on the party convention scheduled for March next year, as party committee heads lead local party organizations and can influence the votes of responsible party members. In the past, party leadership candidates attended general meetings of non-incumbent party committee heads to present their pledges.

Experts analyze that the increase in pro-Yoon party committee heads has created a convention environment more favorable to the 'pro-Yoon' faction. Hong Hyung-sik, director of Hangil Research, said, "Although the influence of party committee heads over party members has decreased compared to the past, their influence remains significant. Especially in the current situation where public opinion is excluded, the influence of party committee heads more than compensates for the reduction," adding, "The possibility of so-called 'camp voting' has greatly increased."

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