"'Yeonpanjang Doligetta' Talk Emerges"…Senior Ruling Party Members Voice Strong Criticism

Hong Moon-pyo "We must not let it slide... It's serious now"
Kim Sung-tae "If no change, may face poison in general election"

As the leadership of the People Power Party struggles to devise a recovery plan following the crushing defeat in the Gangseo District Office by-election, senior figures within the ruling party also voiced harsh criticism regarding the election.

Hong Moon-pyo, a four-term People Power Party lawmaker representing Chungnam, said in a YTN radio interview on the 13th, "The era of benefiting from the opponent's mistakes is over. I have to do well myself," adding, "(In this by-election) we made many mistakes."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, is arriving at the party leader's office in the National Assembly on the 13th. On the same day, Kim canceled the scheduled emergency Supreme Council meeting and is holding individual meetings with the Supreme Council members. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Hong said, "I received calls from about seven or eight people," and relayed, "(The non-incumbent committee chairpersons) said that if those responsible do not come forward and only temporary measures are taken, they would even sign a petition." When the host asked if the petition implied the resignation of the leadership, Hong replied, "The meaning varies slightly for each person," but warned, "If this reform is minimized and just brushed aside, they will receive a petition; it means the situation is serious now. We must not let this pass under the name of 'moderation.'"

Hong pressured the leadership, saying, "We ourselves amplified the importance of this (Gangseo District Office) election and lost, so staying silent is unacceptable," and added, "The people who should take responsibility for the election are almost all known. Those individuals must be held accountable."

Kim Sung-tae, former lawmaker and Gangseo-eul district party committee chairman, also appeared on the same broadcast, stating, "This time, the residents of Gangseo gave our party a very strong preventive shot and prescribed a bitter medicine," and warned, "If we fail to accept this bitter but good medicine and attempt change, we will inevitably receive a poison shot in the April general election next year."

However, both lawmakers drew a line against blaming the presidential office for the election defeat. Hong said, "It is neither logical nor realistic to hold the president responsible for losing a district office election." Kim added, "The party is the party, the government is the government, and Yongsan is Yongsan; they must be distinguished," emphasizing, "The April general election next year is clearly an election the party will contest, not the Yongsan government."

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, stated on the 13th that the preparation of the party reform plan "will not take long." It is known that during the closed meeting of the party's Supreme Council held the previous day, there was an opinion for all appointed party officials to resign. Additionally, the leadership is also considering the plan to launch a Future Vision Special Committee as part of the party reform.

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