Reform New Party, Discord One Week After Merger... 'Election Campaign and Policy Decisions Delegated to Lee Jun-seok'

Lee Nak-yeon and Kim Jong-min Walk Out During Meeting in Protest
Party Member Qualification Review Committee to Be Established

The Reform New Party decided to delegate the general election campaign and policy decisions to Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok amid intense discord. During this process, Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon and Supreme Council Member Kim Jong-min stormed out.

On the 19th, the Reform New Party held a Supreme Council meeting and resolved to delegate the 'election campaign and policy decisions' to Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok. Conflicts were exposed as Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon and Supreme Council Member Kim Jong-min left the meeting room during the process.

Heo Eun-ah, the Reform New Party’s chief spokesperson, said at a press meeting after the Supreme Council, "To ensure promptness and innovation in the election campaign and election policy decisions for winning the general election, the Supreme Council delegated its authority, and it was resolved that Leader Lee would implement them in consultation with the party’s joint policy committee chair." This means that during the general election phase, the authority over election campaigns and pledge announcements was comprehensively delegated to Leader Lee. Additionally, the Supreme Council completed the establishment of a party member qualification review committee, the creation of four major crisis strategy centers within the central party, and the appointment of political party officials.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the party member qualification review committee, it is expected that Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok will request qualification reviews for individuals such as Bae Bok-ju, former vice-chair of the Justice Party, whom he opposes joining the party.

Supreme Council Member Kim Jong-min left the Supreme Council meeting midway and told reporters, "It is not possible to entrust the election campaign to Leader Lee alone," adding, "I am asking for a specific description of what duties are involved, but what democratic party delegates authority without policy decisions from the Supreme Council?" He criticized further, mentioning, "How is this different from Chun Doo-hwan requesting to delegate the National Security Emergency Planning Committee because the country was in turmoil and dissolving the National Assembly?"

The New Future Party also stated in a separate notice, "If President Yoon Seok-yeol and Democratic Party Leader Lee Jae-myung unofficially enforced factionalism, Leader Lee Jun-seok demanded to decide and recognize factionalism through the official procedures of the Supreme Council," adding, "We clearly oppose any undemocratic procedures and content that break the public’s desire for regime judgment, opposition party replacement, and the spirit of third-zone integration."

Meanwhile, Han Dong-hoon, Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, said to reporters on his way to work that day regarding the Reform New Party’s internal conflict, "Their behavior does not fit the word ‘reform’ at all," and added, "In the end, isn’t it because they can’t part ways over money?"

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