Kim Jaewon: "The 5-Person Group Itself Is Not a Problem... Lee Junseok Also Ignores the Supreme Council Members"

Amid suspicions that the 'Group of Five' centered around Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, is taking control within the party, Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member who was suspended from party membership for one year due to remarks related to the May 18 incident, defended the group by saying, "The Group of Five itself is not a problem."

On the 1st, Kim, on CBS's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Battle,' said, "(The party leader) consulting with the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, or the Chairperson of the Policy Committee for practical party management is an extremely normal party operation."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, People Power Party lawmaker Lee Yong-ho sparked controversy by stating on CBS radio that "the Supreme Council meetings are just for show, and important core agenda decisions are made by the Group of Five." Although Leader Kim dismissed such suspicions as "not worth considering," the doubts have not easily disappeared.

Kim said, "I don't know how many people there are, but there could be a Deputy Secretary-General or a spokesperson among them. They consult like that and also discuss it with the Supreme Council. But can’t it be said that the decision-making power lies here? Whether it is a Group of Five, Six, or Seven, I don't think the group itself is a problem."

When writer Jin Joong-kwon, who appeared on the radio together, asked, "Former leader Lee Jun-seok pointed this out. 'When I was the leader, there was no such organization or composition.' In other words, those people are effectively playing the role of the leadership, and the Supreme Council is becoming a mere shell, right?" Kim responded, "Former leader Lee also greatly disregarded the Supreme Council members," adding, "In my view, former leader Lee has no need to make such remarks."

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