President Yoon as the Honorary Representative of the Ruling Party? ... Another Variable in the Ruling Party's Leadership Election

Pro-Chin Yoon Faction Claims 'Presidential Honorary Representative Position Possible'
Attempt to Dispel Party Affairs Interference Controversy and Rally Pro-Chin Yoon Votes?

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Ju-hee] Core lawmakers of the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction are discussing a plan to appoint President Yoon Seok-yeol as the 'Honorary Party Leader.'

This is interpreted as an expanded concept of the party-government unity theory, which emphasizes that the government and the party should speak with one voice. It appears to be intended to maintain close cooperation between the president and the party while dispelling controversies over the president's involvement in party affairs.

Article 7 of the People Power Party's constitution (Prohibition of the President Holding Party Positions) states, "A party member elected as president may not hold any party position other than an honorary position during their term." This regulation was created with the purpose of eliminating the drawbacks of a presidential system with excessive power.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is moving after the credential presentation ceremony for new ambassadors to Korea held at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the afternoon of the 26th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, the pro-Yoon faction argues that there is no constitutional problem with President Yoon holding an honorary position by citing an exception clause. On the 16th, Representative Lee Cheol-gyu said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' "(President Yoon) can hold an honorary position. Whether holding an honorary position is desirable or not is a separate issue."

He added that whether President Yoon holds an honorary position or not is actually not very significant, pointing out that "the misconception that the president and the party should be completely separated as if it were a sound principle is mistaken."

The theory of President Yoon as honorary party leader is interpreted as an attempt to dispel ongoing controversies over the presidential office's involvement in party affairs ahead of the People Power Party's leadership election.

Kim Haeng, a member of the People Power Party's Emergency Response Committee, said in an interview with CBS Radio's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Match,' "Every time the party and government cooperate, the president and the presidential office are constantly troubled by controversies over why the president intervenes," adding, "How can the president and the party be perfectly separated? That can only happen in romantic novels."

When asked, "If the president takes on the honorary party leader position, how will the relationship between the party and government change compared to before?" Kim said, "The difference between holding or not holding the position lies in emphasizing that the party and the president can build a closer cooperative relationship." Regarding concerns that the president might interfere in the general election nominations, he dismissed them as "a highly exaggerated interpretation."

The theory of the president as honorary party leader emerged amid fierce competition among party leadership candidates, which is also interpreted as an attempt to consolidate last-minute votes for the pro-Yoon faction candidate. This reflects the anxiety that the two-strong candidate structure of Representatives Kim Ki-hyun and Ahn Cheol-soo could be disrupted as Cheon Ha-ram, former Jeonnam Suncheon-gap party committee chairman supported by former leader Lee Jun-seok, decided to run for party leader.

However, opinions on the honorary party leader theory are divided even among the leadership candidates. Representative Kim Ki-hyun said, "The party and government are comrades who share a common fate and responsibility regardless of the party constitution, so there is no need to create controversy over any position."

Representative Ahn Cheol-soo expressed opposition, saying, "During the leadership election, it could give the impression that the president is interfering in party affairs. I do not think involving the president in the leadership election will help next year's general election victory."

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