The Party's Focused 'National Sympathy'... Completion of Yoon's Three Major Reform Sharing

Attendees Raise Multiple Questions to Enhance Understanding
Over 40 Participants Including Potential Floor Leader Candidates

The People Power Party's pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) study group, 'Gukmin Gonggam' (People's Sympathy), shared a common understanding of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration's 'three major reforms (labor, pension, education)' with the final lecture on education reform held on the 15th. Lee Cheol-gyu, newly appointed as the secretary-general, stepped down from his position as the general secretary for the sake of harmony and communication, but the influence of Gukmin Gonggam is expected to grow further within the party.

On the same day, Gukmin Gonggam held its 5th meeting at the National Assembly Members' Office Building. It was one month after the 4th meeting on the 15th of last month. The special lecture topic was 'The Direction of Education Reform under the Yoon Seok-yeol Government,' with Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, serving as the lecturer.

Lee Cheol-gyu, Secretary General of the People Power Party, Chung Woo-taek, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, are saluting the national flag on the morning of the 15th at the 'People's Sympathy' pro-Yoon lawmakers' meeting held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Deputy Prime Minister Lee emphasized 'customized education' as the government's goal for education reform. He explained, "Until now, education in our country has become like making fish-shaped bread (Bungeoppang) ? uniform and identical. Education should be tailored to each individual and the local community, but uniform egalitarianism has obscured the essence of education. Customized education is a major direction of the Yoon Seok-yeol government's education reform. I believe it is both a Korean model and a global first mover's direction."

He further stressed the need for education reform as a countermeasure against regional extinction. He said, "Half of the cities, counties, and districts are at risk of regional extinction. This is a point President Yoon has emphasized frequently recently. To revive the regions, education must be central, and this has resonated with many." Along with this, Deputy Prime Minister Lee highlighted the necessity of integrating early childhood education and care and proposed laws such as the Education Freedom Special Zone Act.

The attendees of the meeting pledged active support for the legislative tasks proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Lee. Assemblyman Bae Jun-young said, "I think we must actively assist the legislative tasks he proposed."

Since Gukmin Gonggam shares the government's perception of the labor, pension, and education reforms driven by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, it plans to support these reforms at the National Assembly level. On December 21 last year, Kim Tae-gi, Chairman of the Central Labor Relations Commission, and Lee Chae-pil, former Minister of Employment and Labor, gave lectures on labor reform. On February 1, Kwon Moon-il, President of the National Pension Research Institute, delivered a special lecture on 'The Direction of Pension Reform.'

Gukmin Gonggam became a major faction within the party as many of its members were elected under the leadership of Party Chairman Kim Ki-hyun. Lee Cheol-gyu, the general secretary, was appointed secretary-general to oversee nomination affairs ahead of the general election. Assemblyman Yoo Sang-beom, part of the secretariat, took the position of chief spokesperson, and Assemblywoman Bae Hyun-jin became deputy head of organization. Assemblyman Park Soo-young was also appointed as the head of the party think tank, the Yeouido Research Institute. Additionally, Assemblyman Koo Ja-geun, active since the early days of Gukmin Gonggam, was appointed chief secretary to the party chairman, and Assemblyman Park Sung-min took the role of deputy head of strategic planning. More than 40 members, including National Assembly Vice Speaker Chung Woo-taek and lawmakers Kim Hak-yong, Park Dae-chul, and Yoon Jae-ok, who are mentioned as potential floor leader candidates, attended the meeting.

However, Assemblyman Lee Cheol-gyu announced his resignation from the general secretary position. The person mentioned as the next general secretary is pro-Yoon second-term Assemblyman Kim Jeong-jae. In a meeting with reporters after the gathering, Assemblyman Lee said, "I have been more of a messenger for Gukmin Gonggam than a secretary, but party affairs have become burdensome. To create new opportunities for more people to participate, I will return to being a regular member and continue my participation."

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