Internal Conflict in Gaehyeok New Party... Disagreement Over 'Election Command and Baebokju Nomination'

The Reform New Party, a third-zone unified party, experienced internal conflict over issues such as election command leadership and the nomination of former Justice Party Vice-Chair Bae Bok-ju as a proportional representative candidate. On the 17th, Representative Lee Jun-seok planned to hold a press conference to express his position after Co-Representative Lee Nak-yeon rejected two of his three proposals, but he canceled it. This is interpreted as an intention to take time to gather opinions.

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According to Reform New Party officials on the 17th, Representative Lee Jun-seok proposed to Co-Representative Lee Nak-yeon that ▲he, having presidential election command experience, should hold the election command authority, ▲former Vice-Chair Bae Bok-ju should declare she will not run as a proportional representative, and ▲all party leadership members should run in local constituencies.

However, Co-Representative Lee Nak-yeon rejected Lee Jun-seok’s proposal to have Kim Yong-nam and Kim Man-heum, co-chairs of the Policy Committee, oversee overall election policy promotion, and instead insisted on going through the 'Supreme Council review process.'

Regarding former Vice-Chair Bae Bok-ju, who faces strong opposition from the existing Reform New Party supporters, Lee Nak-yeon’s side opposed the proposal to have the Supreme Council decide on her declaration not to run as a proportional representative, arguing that 'decision-making by the Supreme Council is politics of exclusion.'

After having two proposals rejected, Representative Lee Jun-seok had scheduled a press conference at 10 a.m. on the 17th to state his position but announced its cancellation around 9 a.m. that day. It is seen as a move to narrow differences in views over time.

It is known that both sides agreed on the proposal that 'all leadership members declare their candidacy in local constituencies.'

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