Lee Jun-seok's Declaration of Founding 'Daegu Shindang'... Ruling and Opposition Parties' Reactions 'Cynical'

Former leader Lee Jun-seok's visit to Daegu the previous day, where he called for the establishment of a new party and even suggested the possibility of running in Daegu, was met with cynical reactions from both ruling and opposition parties. The ruling party responded with comments such as "forming a new party as if playing a game" and "he said he was sincere about Nowon Byeong, but is he looking for a justification to run in Daegu?" Meanwhile, the opposition also expressed skepticism about whether he could serve as a focal point or driving force.

Park Jeong-ha, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said on SBS's "Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show" on the 10th, "I feel like he is treating this too much like a game," adding, "Politics is said to be a social science field, but it seems he is approaching it too much from a political engineering perspective."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Having once been in the same party, Bareun Party, with former leader Lee, he said, "Politics should inspire and establish a purpose, and then persuade the public to gain votes and support for that purpose. But instead, it seems like he is creating and exchanging something based on the political landscape," adding, "Isn't he overthinking and analyzing this game-like approach of 'If O, then this path; if X, then that path'?"

Kim Byung-min, Supreme Council member of the People Power Party, also said on CBS's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show," "I wish former leader Lee would be more honest," and pointed out, "Right now, he is assuming the premise of 'if the new party demands it,' which makes me think he is constantly looking for justifications to run in a region other than his hometown (Nowon Byeong), where he said he would take a political gamble."

Hong Seok-jun, a member of the People Power Party, said on BBS's "Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal," "I was very disappointed to hear former leader Lee say he 'would not avoid (running in Daegu)'," adding, "Daegu and Gyeongbuk are the heart of conservatism and, in a way, the holy land of our right-wing. It is questionable whether it is appropriate for him, as the former leader of a right-wing party, to say such things about such a place."

The opposition also responded cynically. Go Min-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on YTN's "News King Park Ji-hoon," "I think former leader Lee's new party will be formed, but he will definitely return to the People Power Party before the general election. I guarantee it 100%," adding, "Because during the last presidential election, he drew such a picture just days before the election. Wearing T-shirts and taking photos caused actual fluctuations in approval ratings." The new party is seen as a kind of 'bluff' card.

Jeon Jae-su, a Democratic Party member, also said on YTN radio the previous day, "I don't think former leader Lee is very likely to leave the party and form a new one," adding, "Since the Yoon Seok-youl government has been in office for almost two years and its approval rating is stuck in the 30% range, if former leader Lee were to form a new party and leave, the new party would not benefit from the reflected gains caused by the Yoon administration's failures."

He also said that even if former leader Lee forms a new party, it would not be attractive enough for lawmakers from either side to join. Former lawmaker Shin Kyung-min said on YTN radio the previous day, "The problem lies in the metropolitan area, but among the ruling and opposition lawmakers from the metropolitan area who are somewhat vulnerable, if they see that 'Lee Jun-seok's new party' is rising, they would judge whether it is advantageous or not," adding, "I cannot say for sure at this point, but it does not seem to have tremendous appeal."

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