The shaky Ihn-led innovation committee

Ihn Yo-han — the naturalized doctor now heading the innovation committee of the People Power Party (PPP) to revamp the ailing governing party — has been raising questions about the direction of his reform drive. In a recent interview, he urged heavyweight politicians from the Yeongnam region — the home turf of Korean conservatism — to run in districts in Seoul, a major election battleground that favors the liberal Democratic Party (DP). “Does it not make more sense for them to contest in Seoul?” Ihn said. But on the following day, he claimed the interview had been misrepresented. He made similar recommendations for veteran lawmakers from the PPP in an earlier interview. But again, he laughed his remarks off as a joke when they caused a backlash. An overhaul in the nominations for the assured seats in Yeongnam would make a challenging task for the innovation committee. If this flip-flopping continues, it will harm the trust in the committee and deepen divisions in the party.

The first step Ihn took was to propose the lifting of party suspensions on former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok, Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and three-term lawmaker Kim Jae-won. The beneficiaries were offended rather than thankful for the pardon, as they questioned the fairness of the disciplinary action in the first place. Lee would regain his party membership (since his suspension would end in January), and Hong would not run in the next parliamentary election in April. The benefit would only help Kim, as his suspension lasts until June next year. They suspect the proposal only aims to clear the way for Kim, a politician loyal to President Yoo Suk Yeol, to run in the next election.

Ihn’s first act after taking the helm of the embattled party was to visit the Gwangju Democratization Movement cemetery to show his sympathy for the dead. But if he had visited manufacturing sites with poor working and living conditions and provincial universities suffering from a shortage of students, many living people could have appreciated his reforms.

It is too early to fold expectations. But Ihn would be eating away his own reputation if he continues making impulsive suggestions and correcting them if they irk party leadership or the president. He must ruminate on the meaning of innovation instead. The innovation committee was launched to help the party to regain public confidence after the PPP’s humiliating defeat in the by-election in Seoul.

Ihn must enact a sweeping nomination reform that changes, in his own words, everything “except for the wife.” The party-government relationship should be more productive. If the innovation committee ends up a mere figurehead, the PPP could face harsher public judgment in next year’s election.