Kim Ki-hyun "Party Takes Leading Role"... Ruling Party to Replace All Appointed Party Officials

Top Local Assembly Member Kim Yeji and Secretary-General Lee Manhee, etc.
Faction Colors Light in the Capital Area, Figures Positioned Forward
'Kim Kihyun 2nd Term' Temporarily Seals Internal Conflict

On the 16th, the People Power Party appointed proportional representative lawmaker Kim Ye-ji as a nominated Supreme Council member. Additionally, second-term lawmaker Lee Man-hee (Gyeongbuk Yeongcheon City Cheongdo County) was appointed as the new Secretary-General, and lawmaker Yoo Ui-dong was appointed as the Chair of the Policy Committee. This followed the resignation of all major appointed party officials after the party's defeat in the Seoul Gangseo District Mayor by-election held on the 11th. Instead of the pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) faction, which had been dominant within the party, figures with less factional color and from the metropolitan area were advanced. This move, under Kim Ki-hyun’s leadership, was an attempt at a 'orderly change' to quickly resolve internal conflicts caused by the by-election defeat, but many believe the internal discord still smolders.

(From left) Representative Kim Ye-ji, Representative Lee Man-hee, Representative Yoo Ui-dong

Kim Ki-hyun, leader of the People Power Party, approved these key party appointments at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that day. The new Secretary-General, a core figure in Kim Ki-hyun’s second term, is lawmaker Lee, who graduated from the Korean National Police University and served as the head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency. Since the launch of Kim Ki-hyun’s leadership, Lee has served as the senior deputy chair of the party’s Policy Committee. Although Lee is classified as part of the pro-Yoon faction, having served as the chief of staff for then-presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol during the last presidential election, he is regarded as having weak factional ties.

Proportional representative lawmaker Kim Ye-ji was selected as the nominated Supreme Council member. Kim, who is visually impaired, has been active in representing socially vulnerable groups such as women and youth. During the presidential election, she was recruited as the 'chief candid critic' in Yoo Seung-min’s 'Hope Camp' and was responsible for disability policies.

Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Yoo Ui-dong (Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek City B) was appointed as the Chair of the Policy Committee after being approved at a virtual party members’ meeting that morning. Yoo, the new Policy Committee Chair, is classified as part of the non-pro-Yoon faction but previously served as the floor leader and Policy Committee Chair under Kim Ki-hyun’s leadership. Ham Kyung-woo, chairman of the Gwangju City party committee in Gyeonggi Province, was appointed as Deputy Chair of Organization, and Kim Sung-won (Gyeonggi Dongducheon City Yeoncheon County), a second-term lawmaker from Gyeonggi Province, was appointed as head of the party think tank, the Yeouido Research Institute. First spokesperson duties were assigned to first-term lawmaker Park Jeong-ha from Wonju Gap, Gangwon Province, and senior spokesperson duties to Yoon Hee-seok, former chairman of the Seoul Gangdong Gap party committee, who currently serves as spokesperson. Upon announcing these appointments, Kim said, “The result of the Gangseo District Mayor by-election was a wake-up call from public opinion demanding change in our party,” adding, “Based on a sense of urgent crisis, we will improve the party’s constitution through change and innovation.”

Kim Ki-hyun, the leader of the People Power Party, along with the leadership, is attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 16th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

On the same day, Kim also presented the 'Three Major Innovation Directions and Six Practical Tasks.' He said, “Since the public is watching our party’s changes more closely than ever, I believe it is our duty to explain the general direction of innovation without delay.” The three innovation directions are ▲people-friendly governance ▲candidate nomination aligned with public sentiment ▲strengthening morality and responsibility. The six practical tasks include launching an innovation body and an early election preparation body, separately forming a talent recruitment committee, improving party-government-presidential office relations, strengthening internal communication, and personnel renewal.

Regarding the innovation committee, Kim said, “I will grant authority to innovate across all areas including party strategy, messaging, policy, and publicity so that the People Power Party can be evaluated as completely changed.” On the frequently criticized relationship between the party and the presidential office, he said, “In party-government-presidential office relations, the party will strengthen its leading role in conveying and reflecting public opinion,” adding, “Basically, the party, government, and presidential office will coordinate closely in advance to avoid discord, but if issues arise that are out of touch with public sentiment, we will actively demand correction and enforce it.” He also said he would strengthen internal communication to hear opinions from regional leaders such as non-parliamentary committee chairs.

The People Power Party leadership attempted to quell internal blame for the Gangseo District Mayor by-election defeat through these key appointments, but internal discord remains. If the approval ratings of the presidential office and ruling party continue to decline, the metropolitan area crisis theory within the party could resurface. On KBS Radio that day, lawmaker Heo Eun-ah said, “They say it’s a balanced personnel appointment, but is it enough to just change people now? The public is calling for a change in the party’s direction, policy changes, and upholding the separation of powers,” adding, “I hope they apologize for issues like the loss compensation problem, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Jamboree, and ideological disputes.”

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