Reform New Party "Delegates Election Campaign to Lee Jun-seok"... Lee Nak-yeon Side Reacts "Is Lee a Private Faction?"

Internal Conflict Over Election Command Just 10 Days After Merger
Kim Jong-min "Personal Delegation of Election Campaign Not Possible"
Lee Jun-seok "Intense Behavior Not in Line with Spirit of Unity"

The Reform New Party has decided to delegate the command of the April 10 general election to Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok, but internal strife is deepening as Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon’s side is protesting.

On the 19th, the Reform New Party handled an agenda at the Supreme Council meeting for Representative Lee Jun-seok to coordinate with the co-chair of the joint policy committee to lead the general election. In effect, the general election campaign and policy decisions were delegated to Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok.

Heo Eun-ah, the chief spokesperson of the Reform New Party, said at a press meeting immediately after the Supreme Council, "To ensure swiftness and innovation in the election campaign and policy decision-making for winning the general election, the Supreme Council delegated its authority, and it was resolved that Representative Lee would implement it in consultation with the party’s joint policy committee co-chair." This means that during the general election phase, the authority over the election campaign and pledge announcements was comprehensively delegated to Representative Lee. In addition, the Supreme Council also 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.

However, during this process, loud voices were exchanged, and Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon and Supreme Council member Kim Jong-min left the meeting. Lee Nak-yeon’s side criticized in a statement immediately after the meeting, saying, "They decided on factionalization," and opposed "undemocratic procedures and content that break the spirit of the third zone integration." Supreme Council member Kim Jong-min also opposed, saying, "It is impossible to entrust the election campaign to an individual like Representative Lee," and added, "We are asking for a specific description of what duties are involved, but what kind of democratic party delegates without policy decisions from the Supreme Council?" He even criticized by mentioning, "What is different from Chun Doo-hwan asking to delegate the National Security Emergency Planning Committee because the country was in turmoil and dissolving the National Assembly?"

Reform New Party Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok Attending a Debate
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reform New Party Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok is delivering the keynote speech at a debate hosted by the Gwanhun Club held at the Press Center on the 19th. 2024.2.19 [Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers]
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Lee Jun-seok: "Following the vote is a rational attitude"

Representative Lee Jun-seok rebutted, saying, "There may be objections to the vote itself, but showing an intense attitude is not in line with the spirit of integration." He emphasized at the Kwanhun Forum held at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, right after the morning meeting, "It is not a good phenomenon to have many votes, but when a vote takes place, it is a rational attitude to follow the result."

He added, "Honestly, Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon, who even served as Prime Minister, tends to be cautious and pursue completeness. The sense of speed inevitably has to be sacrificed somewhat," and said, "The purpose of this vote is to bring out speed and unpredictability, and it is complementary, not that I can ignore Co-Leader Lee Nak-yeon and push it through abruptly," rejecting the factionalization criticism.

However, in the political circle, there are also criticisms that if Co-Leader Lee Jun-seok leads the general election campaign and policy decisions while Lee Nak-yeon is appointed as the overall election committee chairman, the chairman might be only a ceremonial position.

After just a week of the merger, there are skeptical views that the chemical union of the four new parties in the third zone has ultimately failed. According to a party support survey conducted by Realmeter on behalf of Energy Economy Newspaper from the 15th to 16th among 1,009 voters aged 18 and over nationwide (with a 95% confidence level and a sampling error of ±3.1 percentage points), the Reform New Party recorded 6.3%. This means it remains in the 'single digits,' not even reaching the combined support rate projections before the merger in various polls. This survey used an automatic response method with 97% mobile and 3% landline, with a response rate of 4.0%. For more details, refer to the Central Election Poll Deliberation Commission website.

Co-chairpersons Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok attending a meeting
(Seoul=Yonhap News) Photo by Han Sang-gyun = Reform New Party co-chairpersons Lee Nak-yeon and Lee Jun-seok are attending the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 19th. 2024.2.19
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