"Yoon to 200 Seats with Toejindan" Song's Remark... Opposition Also Says "Such Remarks Are a Bit Much"

Song Young-gil Conveys Willingness to Establish Proportional Representation Party
Ruling Party Criticism, Opposition Embarrassment... Political Ripple Effects Anticipated

Ahead of next year's general election, Song Young-gil, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who has expressed his intention to establish a proportional representation party aiming for an 'Anti-Yoon (Anti-Yoon Seok-yeol) coalition,' announced that he would create the 'Yoon Seok-yeol Resignation Party' and, in alliance with the Democratic Party, secure more than 200 seats. The People Power Party criticized this, and even within the Democratic Party, his remarks seem to cause discomfort.

Kim Byung-min, Supreme Council Member of the People Power Party, said on YTN's 'News & Issue' on the 4th, "Isn't it just a flood of messages solely about anti-Yoon Seok-yeol and anti-government?" He criticized, "Former leader Song talks about forming a new party without providing answers to the 'cash envelope incident,' so in the end, isn't this ambition to enter the National Assembly to shield himself from criminal charges? He cannot avoid such criticism."

Former Democratic Party leader Song Young-gil, who is under suspicion of money envelope bribery related to the party convention, is making a statement after leaving the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 7th without being questioned. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

On the same day, former leader Song said on BBS Radio, "I think there is a need to gather those who hope for Yoon Seok-yeol's resignation and fight at the forefront to form a Resignation Party." He added, "In constituencies, we can unite behind competitive Democratic Party candidates, and in the proportional representation sector, we can unite behind the Democratic Party's satellite party, tentatively called the Yoon Seok-yeol Resignation Party, so both sides can win. We can secure more than 200 seats."

He claims that by allying with the Democratic Party through the proportional satellite party 'Yoon Seok-yeol Resignation Party,' they can obtain over 200 seats. However, voices of criticism also arise within the Democratic Party. Han Min-soo, Democratic Party spokesperson, said on YTN Radio, "It would be better not to make statements like '200 seats'." He pointed out, "For that to happen, the Democratic Party must also participate, but as our party leader has said several times, if it appears arrogant to the public, we could be judged harshly like in the recent Gangseo by-election just a month or two ago."

He continued, "The expression '200 seats' is former leader Song's personal opinion," and expressed skepticism, saying, "Certainly, one of the major frameworks or rules of the general election will inevitably be a judgment on the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, but can various forces really unite as an anti-Yoon coalition?"

Five-term lawmaker Ahn Min, who left the Democratic Party the day before, criticizing the party's 'fandom politics,' also commented on former leader Song's 'Yoon Seok-yeol Resignation Party' plan on SBS's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show,' saying, "Anyone can form a political association, but a party opposing a specific individual is actually very backward, and in my view, somewhat primitive." He added, "Currently, Korean politics cannot overcome the situation or pioneer the nation's fate solely with parties that exclude or are anti-specific individuals."

Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the People Power Party and a leading anti-Yoon figure within the ruling camp, has been suggested as a possible participant in the 'Anti-Yoon Seok-yeol coalition' that former leader Song is promoting, but he drew a line on the possibility of participation.

On the previous day, he wrote on his social media, "Even if a new party is formed, its banner cannot be 'anti-Yoon.'" He stated, "The new party should create a new space for pluralism in South Korea's political arena, where debate culture is missing and unilateralism prevails, and must not become another unilateral slogan embodying 'anti-Yoon.'"

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