Hong Jun-pyo, Han Dong-hoon District Party Revival "Not Right to Target Non-Assembly Votes Ahead of Party Convention"

The Local Party Issue as Part of Political Reform
Party Leader, 100% Party Member Vote · Presidential Candidate 50-50
"I Don't Know Why Han Dong-hoon Keeps Bringing It Up"

Hong Jun-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, said on the 29th regarding the revival of district party organizations, which was reportedly advocated by former People Power Party Emergency Response Committee Chairman Han Dong-hoon, "It is not right to seek the votes of non-incumbent committee chairpersons ahead of the party convention."

After giving a lecture at the regular seminar of the 'Meeting to Prepare a New Future' held at the Air Force Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Mayor Hong told reporters in response to questions about the district party organizations, "The revival of district party organizations is part of political reform and an effort to eradicate corrupt politics."

Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo is giving a lecture titled "Let's Move Towards an Advanced Nation Era" at the 2024 Saemijun Regular Seminar held at the Air Force Hotel in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 29th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, it was reported that former Chairman Han revealed plans to revive district party organizations equipped with transparency measures such as accounting audits during a meeting with winners and losers of the April 10 general election. On the same day, People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun also announced his intention to propose the Regional Politics Revitalization Act (amendments to the Political Parties Act and Political Funds Act) related to the revival of district party organizations. However, Mayor Hong expressed opposition, saying that such policies ahead of the party convention are aimed at winning votes.

Regarding the revision of the party convention rules, he insisted that the party leader should be elected 100% by party members, and the presidential candidate should be elected with a 50-50 split. Mayor Hong said, "I made the rules in 2006," adding, "Although I created a 70-30 rule for the party leader, I believe it is right for the leader to be elected by party members' votes." He stated, "It is nonsense for non-party members to come in and vote for the party leader," and "In the case of the presidential election, since the public participates, I think a 50-50 split is appropriate."

Regarding calls from some quarters to move to a collective leadership system where the party leader and supreme council members are elected together, the current Emergency Response Committee drew a line, saying it "does not have the authority" to do so. Mayor Hong criticized, "How can an Emergency Response Committee with no legitimacy revise that? If the newly elected party leader finds any unreasonable points, revisions can be made then. What meaning does the current Emergency Response Committee have? This Emergency Response Committee is only a management committee for the party convention."

When asked whether he thinks it is necessary to meet with former Chairman Han Dong-hoon regarding the general election white paper, he said, "I don't understand why he keeps being brought up," and criticized, "What kind of party is it that cannot even analyze the causes of defeat?"

Regarding discussions on a constitutional amendment to shorten the presidential term, he criticized it as "nonsense."

On rumors about his candidacy for party leader, he declined, saying, "I will stay in Daegu."

Meanwhile, lawmakers Cho Jung-hoon, Choi Seung-jae, and Hong Moon-pyo, as well as elected members Park Sang-ung and Kim Dae-sik, attended the seminar that day.

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