Key figures of party’s election committee should resign, says PPP leader

Lee Jun-seok, the head of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), said on Wednesday that everyone who holds a position in the party’s presidential campaign committee should resign and the committee should disband the current six divisions. Lee made proposals for the reform of the committee one day after stepping down from the campaign’s leadership amid internal feud.

During an interview with The Dong-A Ilbo on Wednesday, Lee said it is nonsense that the presidential campaign committee is operated this way, adding the issue of Yoon Seok-youl’s so-called “close confidants” will not be addressed without disbanding the six divisions. Yoon’s close confidants refer to key aides of Yoon, who have been pointed out by Lee as the main cause of the party’s internal feud. “The six-division system was created to exclude Kim Chong-in, the general chairman of the campaign committee. It would be difficult to establish grand strategies without Chairman Kim,” said Lee, arguing that the committee’s key figures except for Chairman Kim should step down.

“The problem is he is not on the organization chart of the campaign committee,” Lee lashed out at one of Yoon’s key aides. “He is someone who should not leave Busan. Anyone who sees him leaving Busan should make a tip-off.” Without mentioning his name, Lee publicly denounced Rep. Jang Je-won, who slammed Lee alongside the election committee’s former communications chief Cho Su-jin. Jang, a close aide of Yoon, declared that he would support Yoon without assuming a role in the election committee. Lee also demanded that those, among Yoon’s close confidants, who are planning to run for the head of a regional government in next year’s local elections, leave the election committee.

As for his possible return to the campaign committee, Lee said he would accept it if the committee asks him to carry out a specific role, but he would not assume decision-making roles or conduct planning tasks like he did before. It means, if requested, he is willing to help the election campaign even before the committee makes a reform, but has no intention of returning to his previous positions as the standing co-head of the election committee and head of promotion media.

As to criticisms that it was irresponsible for him as the main opposition party chair to quit all his election committee roles, Lee said when it comes to elections, all problems must readily be solved as election clock runs much faster.

“I don’t know how to respond to Yoon’s reaction to Rep. Cho’s inappropriate remarks,” said Lee, mentioning Yoon’s comment that “It is what democracy is about.” Lee added, “If it is conservatives’ culture to be patient and not say a word about what is wrong just because you are the leader of a party, that culture should be changed.”


Kyung-Suk Kang coolup@donga.com