Election Nomination Officer Lee Cheol-gyu Cracks Down on Leaks... Tensions Rise Within the Party

'Passengers Causing Ship Sinking Not Allowed to Board' Remarks
Targeting Incumbent Lawmakers Less Than a Year Before General Election
Interpretation of Warning Messages Criticizing Leadership Including Yoon Sang-hyun and Ahn Cheol-soo

Lee Cheol-gyu, Secretary General of the People Power Party, sparked controversy within the party on the 16th by stating at a party meeting that "passengers who sink the ship cannot board together." While the party is distancing itself by calling it a general remark, some interpret it as a warning message directed at certain members who have recently criticized the party leadership over issues such as the metropolitan area crisis theory and responsibility for the Jamboree ahead of next year's general election.

According to political circles on the 17th, Secretary General Lee said at a closed-door meeting the day before, "Since we are on the same ship, we should look in the same direction and work together, but I hope there will be no disruptive or harmful actions." This remark caused controversy as it came from the Secretary General, who is in charge of the nomination process, less than a year before the general election. Moreover, it drew attention because it was made in a meeting attended by incumbent lawmakers. A first-term lawmaker shared the atmosphere, saying, "The moment I heard it, I wondered who would have made such (critical of the party) remarks, who could it be."

Park Dae-chul, Policy Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, and Lee Cheol-gyu, Secretary General, are talking at the party-government meeting on enhancing school education competitiveness and reducing private education held at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the 19th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Some within the party interpret Secretary General Lee's discomfort as a reaction to criticism that the leadership has not properly addressed the metropolitan area crisis theory.

The metropolitan area crisis theory is being expressed among lawmakers with constituencies in the metropolitan area. Yoon Sang-hyun, a People Power Party lawmaker representing Incheon, has been criticizing the leadership daily. On this day as well, in a BBS radio interview, Yoon said, "For the party's development, there must be room for sincere remarks," adding, "I think Secretary General Lee should clearly and specifically explain what his remarks were." Earlier, Yoon criticized on his SNS, saying, "The People Power Party lacks presence and responsibility as the ruling party," and "The current state of the ruling party is largely the responsibility of the party leadership. Only the president and ministers are visible, but our party and party leader are not." The next day, on a broadcast on the 10th, Yoon pointed out that Kim Ki-hyun, the party leader, and Yoon Jae-ok, the floor leader, are lawmakers from the Yeongnam region, saying, "The current People Power Party leadership has never run a metropolitan area election," and criticized, "It is a party that does not even feel the crisis." He also said, "The party seems to be too much under the influence of the presidential office. Ultimately, the party must handle the general election," and added, "The party leader should also voice opposition to the presidential office, but instead is being led by it and cannot speak out."

Ahn Cheol-soo, a People Power Party lawmaker representing Bundang, also said on KBS radio on the 9th, when asked if there is fear of nomination within the party, "I still think so," adding, "Many people are unable to express their opinions on certain issues. Personally, even when I talk to people who think there is a problem, many hesitate and do not speak out."

A first-term lawmaker also said, "Right now, the party leader seems to be more focused on criticizing Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party leader, to the point where it's unclear whether he is the leader of the ruling or opposition party," and added, "The party is failing to present a big picture or vision as the ruling party."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, within the party, there was caution against overinterpreting Secretary General Lee's remarks. Jang Dong-hyuk, the People Power Party floor spokesperson, explained on MBC radio, "I heard it as a general remark hoping that harmful actions would not be taken." A first-term lawmaker also said in a phone call, "It was a message to criticize but not to slander," adding, "If we have different thoughts, how could we be in the same party? The Secretary General sometimes makes such remarks." A People Power Party official interpreted, "It was just a warning to be careful," adding, "Since there are criticisms being made by fabricating things that never happened, it seems to be a call for restraint."

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