Innovative prescriptions stuck in resistance

One month has passed since the innovation committee led by Ihn Yo-han — the naturalized physician who was recruited to reinvent the governing People Power Party (PPP) — was established after the PPP’s crushing defeat in a by-election in Seoul in October. Since then, the innovation committee has drawn public support by presenting drastic prescriptions to refresh the minority party, including its demand that senior lawmakers and those close to President Yoon Suk Yeol run in constituencies hostile to them instead of adhering to their home turf.

The committee’s inspiring proposals also include a 10 percent cut in the 300-seat National Assembly, abandonment of lawmakers’ privilege of not being arrested while legislative sessions are underway, and a reduction of their pay. Thanks to the vibrant move, the PPP’s approval rating rose after being stagnant for three weeks. But that was it.

The innovation committee prescribed four solutions for the minority party last month, but only the first one — the withdrawal of the censures on Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and former PPP leader Lee Jun-seok — was accepted by the PPP. The remaining solutions are stuck in vehement oppositions from stakeholders. Rep. Chang Je-won, a third-term lawmaker and a core member of the pro-Yoon group, showed his resistance against the proposal by mobilizing 4,200 supporters in a political event, while Rep. Joo Ho-young, a former floor leader of the party, refused the request from the committee. Even PPP leader Kim Gi-hyeon joined the chorus.

After the momentum for renovating the party recedes, the innovation committee chair pressured pro-Yoon lawmakers to accept his proposal, relaying a message from President Yoon to push ahead with the prescriptions. Party leaders’ move to put the brakes on Ihn’s crusade is certainly not desirable, but his relay of a presidential message is not proper, either. Earlier, Ihn vowed to “talk with the president straight.”

With only one month left until the committee’s term is over, it must continue presenting fresh ideas to revitalize the party. Above all, the committee must talk straight with the presidential office to improve the vertical relationship between the party and the presidential office. The committee’s proposal to stop the presidential office from strategically nominating presidential aides in the next parliamentary election in April should be respected.

The PPP leader and lawmakers loyal to Yoon must stop shaking the committee. Its recommendations will not be 100 percent correct. But a poll shows that 45 percent support the committee’s proposal for senior legislators to run in districts other than theirs, while 28 percent oppose it. The PPP must comply with the suggestions if it really wants to become a majority party.