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[Editorial] A convention doomed amid a loyalty contest

Published: 06 Feb. 2023, 20:12

President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that anyone attempting to capitalize on closeness or connection with the president for political gain will be recognized as an “annoyance and enemy to state governance.” The harsh remark relayed by his aides may be aimed at Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, who is in a horserace with Rep. Kim Gi-hyeon, a loyalist to Yoon, over the new leadership of the People Power Party (PPP). President Yoon reportedly criticized Ahn for pulling him into the contest for party leadership by pitching the so-called “Yoon-Ahn alliance,” which was defined as being “extremely insensible and insolent” by the president. Such a strong comment from the president ahead of a national convention slated for March 8 to elect a new head of the governing party is quite rare.

Rep. Ahn partly invited the fallout with the president. He lambasted the so-called “Yoon’s key officials” for being “entirely obsessed with getting nominations for the next parliamentary elections” instead of helping the president. Ahn was reacting to his opponents’ criticism for his dubious behavior during transition committee chair. President Yoon found the reference to “key officials of Yoon” as a direct insult.

Yoon also found the expression insulting to his presidential leadership as it placed the president on par with a candidate for party chief by selling the “Yoon-Ahn” alliance.

It is the first time the president directly spoke on the heated party convention to pick the next head. Who earned “Yoon’s heart” has been disputed since former lawmaker Na Kyung-won withdrew herself from the race. Ahn has argued that “the presidential office’s meddling in election undermines the foundation of democracy.” Whether intended or not, the president intervening in a party convention could be worrisome.

Shin Pyeong, a lawyer sponsoring Rep. Kim in the party race, even said that if Ahn becomes the chairman, the president would have to leave the PPP and have his people create a new party. His comment suggesting the president’s deserting the party underscores the intensity and worrying state of the race.

The race for the PPP leadership is turning into a disaster despite its responsibility for the victory in next year’s parliamentary elections. The candidates are busy selling their close connection with the president and offer no vision for the future. The country’s trade deficit last month was a record-size. Heating bills were raised by the biggest amount since the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s.

Instead of cooperating to manage the looming crisis, the presidential office and the PPP are engaged in a childish fight. They are fooling themselves if they think they can win a majority from the next parliamentary election.