PPP lawmakers want party chief out, Yoon reconciles with Lee

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Published: 06 Jan. 2022, 19:20 Updated: 21 Mar. 2022, 13:29

PPP lawmakers want party chief out, Yoon reconciles with Lee

People Power Party (PPP) chief Lee Jun-seok enters his office after speaking to reporters at the National Assembly in western Seoul Thursday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Lawmakers from the People Power Party (PPP) Thursday pushed for the removal of party chief Lee Jun-seok, who continues to butt heads with presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol.

The PPP floor leadership proposed a resolution demanding Lee's resignation as party chairman during a closed-door general meeting, saying he is largely responsible for their candidate's slumping approval ratings and a meltdown within the main opposition party.

Yoon announced Wednesday the dismantlement of his own election campaign committee and a fresh start — without the leadership of political veteran Kim Chong-in — just two months ahead of the presidential election. Most of the other campaign leaders resigned Monday, after Kim called for a complete overhaul of the committee.

But on Thursday morning, party chief Lee refused to endorse two major party appointments made by Yoon earlier that day, indicating that the feuding between them continued.

There have been growing calls within the party for Lee to take responsibility as PPP head for the drop in Yoon's popularity in recent public opinion polls. Lee stepped down as a standing co-chair of the campaign committee in late December after a power struggle with Yoon's aides.

On Thursday morning, Choo Kyung-ho, deputy floor leader, and some other PPP lawmakers proposed a resolution calling for the impeachment of Lee, a procedure allowed under the party constitution.

"Today, our party is supposed to be newly born, yet we have not yet seen the party leader change," Choo said in the meeting of PPP lawmakers. "Now is the time to make a decision about the resignation of the party leader. Let's make a decision here."

Rep. Tae Yong-ho proposed a secret ballot for the impeachment of Lee.

Others, like Rep. Ha Tae-keung, expressed opposition to the resolution. Lee, the youngest-ever leader of a political party, has been popular with the PPP's young male voters.

The proposal to oust Lee was put on hold in the afternoon after floor leader Kim Gi-hyeon said the issue should be discussed in a meeting with Lee in attendance.

Lee said that he would attend such a meeting on the condition that the debate was made public. However, PPP lawmakers favoring his impeachment said it should be held behind closed doors.

A resolution calling for Lee to resign was drafted, according to party members.

Lee later appeared at the general meeting and gave a speech defending his actions and decisions, pointing out that many people are responsible for the campaign's dysfunction.

Around 8 p.m. that evening, Yoon joined the general meeting at the National Assembly in an unscheduled visit and reconciled with Lee.

Yoon told lawmakers, "Everything is my fault as the candidate."

He continued, "I think each of us has our own shortcomings. But what is a party? It is a group that aims for election victory."

His remarks earned applause from lawmakers, and Yoon and Lee embraced in a show of unity in a turnaround from earlier that day.

Lee in turn said, "The only thing I worry about is not winning," pointing out that common ground has finally been found.

People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, left, and PPP chief Lee Jun-seok embrace after a surprise reconciliation at the National Assembly in western Seoul Thursday evening. [NEWS1]

On Wednesday, Lee expressed disgruntlement that Yoon objected to some of his proposals to show the image of the party through his campaign. He referred to his proposals as "homework" for Yoon.

In his speech late afternoon Thursday at the National Assembly, Lee apologized for the "homework" remark. He also said that he will return to any post if "commanded" by PPP lawmakers, but warned that such a method would not help earn the support of young voters.

In perhaps an attempt to appease Lee, Yoon adopted one of Lee's ideas and greeted people in front of the subway station Yeouido in western Seoul Thursday morning.

But later that morning, Lee rejected Yoon's nomination of Rep. Kwon Young-se as the party's new secretary general and Rep. Lee Chul-gyu as a strategic planning chief.

The PPP later in the day in a supreme council meeting went ahead with the appointments of Kwon and Lee. Former Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong was appointed campaign policy chief and Rep. Yun Jae-ok campaign situation manager.

Rep. Kwon, a fourth-term lawmaker, was named head of Yoon's stripped down campaign the previous day.

PPP Chairman Lee has said he is personally acquainted with Kwon and told reporters he had no issue with him, indicating he disapproved of Lee Chul-gyu's appointment.

Rep. Lee is known to be close with Kweon Seong-dong, the party's former secretary general who resigned Wednesday amid the revamping of the campaign. Kweon is a confidant of Yoon. and has frequently clashed with Lee.

The party's Supreme Council approved the appointments nonetheless.

Lee has feuded with Yoon's aides, resulting in a power struggle that contributed to the malfunctioning of the election campaign committee even before its official launch on Dec. 6. The party chief boycotted activities in early December to protest the influence of Yoon's aides on campaign appointments.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]