Conservative party to launch emergency steering committee after leader's resignation

Politics

Conservative party to launch emergency steering committee after leader's resignation

Published: 14 Dec. 2023, 18:41

People Power Party floor leader Yun Jae-ok and party leaders hold a meeting at the National Assembly on Thursday since the party leader Kim Gi-hyeon resigned on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The People Power Party (PPP) announced on Thursday that it will soon launch an emergency steering committee to replace the current leadership.

The PPP’s decision was prompted by the resignation announcement made by the party’s leader, Kim Gi-hyeon, through Facebook on Wednesday.

“We have decided to reorganize the party under an emergency steering committee promptly,” said Yun Jae-ok, the party’s floor leader. “While party protocol dictates electing a new leader through a convention within 60 days of a vacancy, the current circumstances do not allow us to hold a party convention at this time.”

The floor leader said that the party will choose a candidate who aligns with public expectations and possesses the skills to lead the party to victory in next year’s parliamentary election, which is less than five months away.

According to local media reports, potential candidates being discussed within the party include Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, Land Minister Won Hee-ryong and former head of the rival Democratic Party Kim Han-gil.

Even Ihn Yo-han or John Linton, a naturalized Korean who until recently headed the party’s innovation committee, is also considered a potential candidate.

However, the local newspaper DongA Ilbo reported that Justice Minister Han had declined the proposal.

When asked about Ihn possibly leading the party in joint leadership, floor leader Yun said having a singular individual lead the emergency steering committee would be more effective.

Yun added that the party will establish a committee exclusively tasked with selecting and assigning candidates to constituencies by Jan. 10 per party regulations.

The floor leader thanked the former party leader, Kim, for his decision to resign, acknowledging his contribution to significant reforms within the party.

Kim’s leadership in the party ended nine months after he was elected in March.

He and other pro-Yoon heavyweights within the party have been facing mounting pressure, along with lawmakers elected in safely conservative districts, particularly in the Gyeongsang provinces.

The innovation committee led by Ihn constantly urged them to make sacrifices by either abandoning their reelection bids or running in traditional DP strongholds.

The demand intensified after the PPP’s loss in the Gangseo District Office by-election in October by more than 17 percentage points and with uncertainties surrounding public polls, casting doubt on Kim’s ability to lead the party effectively in the upcoming election.

According to the latest Gallup Korea poll published on Dec. 8, the PPP’s support stood at 35 percent, slightly ahead of the DP’s 33 percent.

However, the most significant setback came from the party’s internal survey reported by Chosun Ilbo last week, revealing that the PPP would only secure victory in six of Seoul's 25 districts.

That outcome would underperform even the 2020 election, where the conservative party won just eight districts.

Under pressure, prominent party heavyweight Chang Je-won, a close confidant of Yoon during the 2022 presidential election, became the first lawmaker to withdraw officially from the upcoming election.

Chang’s decision was a surprise, especially considering that he appeared defiant to the innovation committee’s demands for sacrifice just last month. At the time, he organized an event that drew 4,200 supporters arriving on 92 buses.

As the former party leader, Kim has maintained a low profile for a third day. He has yet to clarify whether he has given up on reelection.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]