Yoo Seung-min Withdraws from People Power Party Leadership Race... "I Will Play a Role When Urgency Begins" (Update)

by Na Juseok

Published 21 Jun.2024 09:27(KST)

Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min announced on the 21st that he will not run in the People Power Party leadership race.

On the same day, Yoo stated through social media (SNS), "I will not run in the party leadership race."

Regarding the leadership race, he said, "I have concluded that it is a meaningless challenge," adding, "When the urgency that 'if we do not change, we will perish' begins, I will fulfill my role."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This is interpreted as his intention not to make a meaningless challenge in a situation where the People Power Party lacks the urgency to innovate again after the general election defeat.

Earlier, the People Power Party revised the party convention rules through an amendment to the party constitution to reflect 80% party members' votes and 20% public opinion. Previously, the party had decided to reflect 100% party members' votes in the convention, but this was reversed this time. However, this still falls short of the previous standard of 70% party members' votes and 30% public opinion.

Yoo expressed concern that despite the crushing defeat in the general election, voices calling for reflection and innovation have not emerged within the People Power Party. He warned, "At the first workshop held after the general election defeat, words like 'reflection, renewal, innovation, change, reform...' did not even come up," adding, "If we refuse change, there will be only despair and extinction."

With Yoo Seung-min's withdrawal, the People Power Party leadership race is increasingly likely to be a four-way contest among lawmaker Na Kyung-won, former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, and former emergency committee chairman Han Dong-hoon.