Ruling Party Begins Organizational Restructuring... Announces Recruitment for 66 Accident-Affected Districts Excluding Lee Jun-seok's Constituency

by Kwon Hyeonji

Published 09 Nov.2022 13:58(KST)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Kwon Hyun-ji] On the 9th, the People Power Party held the first meeting of the Special Committee for Organizational Strengthening (JoGang Special Committee) and decided to begin the recruitment process for vacant party district chair positions. However, seemingly aware of criticism that this is a 'purge of non-Yoon (Bi-Yoon) members,' the recruitment will be conducted only for 66 districts, excluding three districts including Nowon-byeong, where former party leader Lee Jun-seok serves as the district chair.

Kim Seok-ki, Secretary-General of the People Power Party and chair of the JoGang Special Committee, told reporters after holding a closed-door first meeting at the Yeouido party headquarters that "Out of a total of 69 vacant party districts, excluding the three districts where the district chairs’ party membership rights are suspended, we have decided to accept additional applications for the remaining 66 districts."

The three districts refer to Nowon-byeong, where former leader Lee Jun-seok serves as district chair; Gangseo-byeong, where Kim Cheol-geun, former chief of staff to the party leader and a close associate of Lee, is district chair; and the Dongducheon-si Yeoncheon-gun district in Gyeonggi Province, where lawmaker Kim Seong-won, who received a party membership suspension for a 'flood-related gaffe,' is district chair.

Excluding these districts from the recruitment appears to be a response to criticism that the organizational restructuring is aimed at purging Lee Jun-seok faction and non-Yoon faction district chairs. When asked about such suspicions, Kim said, "I think that is something that cannot happen."

However, with the additional recruitment proceeding for 13 districts including the constituencies of former Supreme Council member Jeong Mi-kyung (Bundang-eul) and lawmaker Heo Eun-ah (Dongdaemun-eul), both appointed as district chairs during Lee’s tenure, it will be difficult to completely dispel the suspicion of a 'Bi-Yoon purge.'

Regarding the reason for the additional recruitment, Kim explained, "We already received applications for district chairs 5 to 6 months ago, and circumstances may have changed during that time. Those who have already applied do not need to submit any new documents or go through other procedures. Only new applicants will be accepted."

Accordingly, the People Power Party will announce the additional recruitment for one week starting from the 10th, followed by a two-day period for document submission. Kim said, "I believe filling the vacant party districts as quickly as possible will help strengthen the party’s capabilities. During next week’s additional recruitment, we will also review the 221 candidates who have already applied, and once the additional recruitment is complete, we will conduct a thorough overall review." The second meeting of the JoGang Special Committee is scheduled for early next week.