The Democratic Party Chooses 'Stable Type' Hwang Woo-yeo as Emergency Committee Chair After Much Consideration

The People Power Party has chosen former Saenuri Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party) leader Hwang Woo-yeo as the leadership to manage the aftermath of the crushing defeat in the 22nd general election. As a five-term lawmaker who has served as party leader and minister, he is interpreted as a figure who can stabilize the party by taking on the role of emergency response committee chairman. However, there are also criticisms that he might be "too stable."

Hwang Woo-yeo, Chairman of the People Power Party Election Commission, is giving a greeting at the 1st party convention held on the 25th at Nurikkum Square in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

On the morning of the 29th, Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party and acting party leader, announced at the elected members' general meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, that former leader Hwang would be appointed as the emergency response committee chairman. When Acting Leader Yoon announced his intention to appoint Hwang as the chairman, the elected members reportedly agreed without significant opposition. After the meeting, Yoon told reporters, "We searched for candidates for the emergency response committee chairman based on three criteria. First, someone who can fairly manage the party convention; second, someone who knows the party and politics well; third, someone who can earn respect and trust." He added, "Former leader Hwang is a five-term lawmaker and has served as party leader." The People Power Party plans to hold a standing national committee meeting within the day to go through the approval process for appointing him as chairman. Once the approval process is complete, former leader Hwang will form the leadership team by appointing emergency response committee members.

The People Power Party appears to have judged that former leader Hwang is suitable as a 'management-type emergency response committee chairman' to conduct the party convention. Although the party won only 108 seats in the 22nd general election, rather than an 'innovation-type emergency committee' that would overturn the current situation, they assigned him a role to manage and stabilize the party to transition to a new leadership system. Additionally, considering that the People Power Party has been criticized as the 'Yeongnam branch of the United Liberal Democrats,' the fact that former leader Hwang was elected four consecutive times in Yeonsu District, Incheon?not in the Yeongnam region?seems to have influenced the appointment.

Yoon Jae-ok, Acting Party Leader of the People Power Party, is attending the 22nd National Assembly Members-Elect General Meeting held at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

The People Power Party faced difficulties in deciding on the emergency response committee chairman. Although Acting Leader Yoon was initially mentioned as a strong candidate, he declined. Given the demand for change after the election defeat, it was considered inappropriate for the floor leader and co-chairman of the election campaign committee, who bore responsibility for the loss, to take on the chairman role, as it would not align with public opinion. Subsequently, Acting Leader Yoon was granted the authority to recommend the chairman at the elected members' general meeting.

There was also an opinion that a senior party member with four or more terms should take the chairman position. However, even senior party members reportedly declined to be considered for the role. Among the elected members, senior lawmakers include six-term members Cho Kyung-tae and Joo Ho-young; five-term members Kwon Seong-dong, Kwon Young-se, Kim Ki-hyun, and Yoon Sang-hyun; elected members Na Kyung-won and Cho Bae-sook; and four-term members Kim Do-eup, Kim Sang-hoon, Kim Tae-ho, Park Deok-heum, Park Dae-chul, Ahn Cheol-soo, Yoon Young-seok, Yoon Jae-ok, Lee Jong-bae, Lee Heon-seung, and Han Ki-ho. Among them, only Cho expressed willingness to take the chairman position, but Acting Leader Yoon officially denied having made any offer.

However, there are criticisms that the appointment is far from innovative. Lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun said, "Former leader Hwang is a reasonable person," but added, "I am not sure if he will be able to draw a picture of innovation and reform." He continued, "The very idea of a management-type emergency committee means playing it safe," and pointed out, "Now is the time to innovate."

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