Lee Jun-seok Predicts 'Han Dong-hoon Emergency Committee': "If I Become Emergency Committee Chair, 120 Seats"

Former People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok, who had predicted that "Kim Ki-hyun's leadership would end within 1-2 weeks and Minister of Justice Han Dong-hoon would step in as the PPP's emergency committee chairman," expressed confidence that if he himself took on the role of emergency committee chairman, he could secure 110 to 120 seats. However, regarding his speculation about Han Dong-hoon becoming the emergency committee chairman, political circles have criticized it as "an overly far-fetched claim."

On the evening of the 16th, on CBS's 'Park Jae-hong's One-on-One Show,' Lee said, "If tomorrow I do something that leads me to take on that role (emergency committee chairman), and if I am given full authority, I am confident I can secure 110 to 120 seats."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He added, "But from my perspective, I wonder what that really means. In the 2004 17th general election, the ruling party at the time, the Grand National Party, suffered a backlash from the impeachment, and it was thought that they would hardly win any seats. Yet, they secured 121 seats. But the current situation is worse than back then."

Lee continued, "Back then, President Park Geun-hye took responsibility and was determined to save the party, achieving 121 seats. All the media praised her, saying 'As expected of Park Geun-hye, the queen of elections,' and 'They almost collapsed, but she saved them to this extent.' Don't you think so?" He added, "Even if I were to secure 110 to 120 seats now, I believe that would be difficult."

Earlier, on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' Lee had claimed that "Kim Ki-hyun's leadership would end within 1-2 weeks, and that recently, Innovation Committee Chairman In Yo-han pressuring senior party members is laying the groundwork for Minister Han's emergency committee chairman system."

However, aside from former National Intelligence Service Director Park Ji-won, few in the political sphere agree with this claim, with the dominant view being that it is "an excessively premature statement." On the 17th, PPP lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun said on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' "That's an overly far-fetched claim," adding, "In fact, it doesn't matter who comes as the emergency committee chairman."

Jung Joong-hoon, a member of the Transition Korea party preparing to join the PPP, said on BBS's 'Jeon Young-shin's Morning Journal,' "Instead of predicting that former leader Lee is 'laying the carpet for Minister Han,' now is the time to recruit party members and consider the legal elements needed to form a new party." He added, "The possibility of (Han Dong-hoon) becoming emergency committee chairman is less likely than me winning the lottery today."

Meanwhile, former PPP lawmaker Geum Tae-seop, who is leading the third-party new party 'New Choice,' has been in contact with former leader Lee Jun-seok as part of efforts related to the new party. Kim Jong-in, former PPP emergency committee chairman who arranged the meeting between Geum and Lee, emphasized the need for cooperation on MBC's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus,' saying, "(Their) goals cannot be different," and "We need to present solutions to the problems our country is currently facing, and there is little difference between the two parties in that regard."

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