Rival parties set sights on early presidential election after Yoon's arrest

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Rival parties set sights on early presidential election after Yoon's arrest

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI


President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung upon his arrival at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, during a leaders' meeting on April 29, 2024. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung upon his arrival at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, during a leaders' meeting on April 29, 2024. [YONHAP]

 
Rival parties are entering campaign mode with President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest Wednesday elevating expectations of an early presidential election.
 
The conservative People Power Party (PPP) has targeted Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party (DP) and a strong presidential contender, as it distances itself from the embattled president and capitalizes on growing public sentiment against Lee.
 
According to a PPP official on Thursday, the party plans to unveil a campaign under the slogan, "The world Lee Jae-myung creates," where it will spotlight Lee’s legal troubles — Lee is undergoing five trials involving 12 charges across eight cases — and criticize his flagship policies, including the handing out of 250,000 won ($170) cash vouchers per person.
 
Recent polling reflects the PPP’s rebound in public support.
 
The National Indicator Survey, released Thursday, showed the PPP’s approval rating at 35 percent, narrowly ahead of the DP’s 32 percent. This marks a 3-point rise for the PPP and a corresponding drop for the DP over two weeks, and the first time since September last year that the PPP led in the survey.
 
The PPP also highlighted Lee’s low popularity as a potential presidential candidate, with his suitability rating at 28 percent, well below the 48 percent who expressed a desire for an administration change. 
 
"With Yoon’s arrest, the antagonistic symbiosis between him and Lee has ended," a senior PPP official said. "It’s now time to expose Lee’s true nature."
 
Rep. Kwon Young-se, center, interim leader of the People Power Party, delivers remarks during an emergency steering committee meeting at the National Assembly on Jan. 16. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]

Rep. Kwon Young-se, center, interim leader of the People Power Party, delivers remarks during an emergency steering committee meeting at the National Assembly on Jan. 16. [KIM SEONG-RYONG]

During a Thursday emergency meeting, criticism of the DP leader continued.
 
"Proceedings against the president are advancing rapidly like a KTX train, but somebody is comfortably sitting in the slow train of the judicial process," said Interim PPP leader Rep. Kwon Young-se. 
 
Floor leader Kwon Seong-dong accused the DP of "hobbling" the government and making it "semi-paralyzed" through excessive impeachment efforts, calling the party "impeachment-addicted."
 
Speculation about an early presidential election intensified following Yoon’s impeachment.
 
Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo threw his hat into the PPP's ring. Former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon are reportedly preparing for possible races. Han Dong-hoon, a former PPP leader, is weighing his return to politics, while Rep. Lee Jun-seok from the smaller conservative New Reform Party has mobilized a separate campaign organization.
 
In contrast, the DP has focused on economic and diplomatic issues following Yoon’s arrest. It believes the president's arrest stabilized the political landscape somewhat and aims to demonstrate its commitment to addressing public livelihood concerns and diplomatic risks following a leadership vacuum.
 
"With Yoon arrested, the National Assembly must focus on stabilizing the chaos triggered by treason and revitalizing the economy," said DP chief policymaker Rep. Jin Sung-joon on Thursday. He also urged the PPP to cooperate in drafting a supplementary budget to bolster economic recovery.
 
With DP lawmakers stepping up engagement with industry stakeholders, Lee Jae-myung is set to host a roundtable on Monday with financial sector representatives to discuss post-crisis trends in banking. The party’s think tank is also meeting with representatives from the secondary battery industry, which is also part of an effort to explore economic recovery strategies.
 
The DP has also addressed diplomatic and security concerns, with lawmakers attending U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration to convey the nation's commitment to the ironclad Korea-U.S. alliance. 
 
"In this era of global competition, we must prioritize national interests," said Rep. Kim Young-bae.
 
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, on the other hand, has refrained from commenting on Yoon since he warned against "imposing responsibility" in case of potential clashes on the day of Yoon’s arrest. During a luncheon with Group of 7 and EU representatives an hour and 30 minutes after Yoon's arrest, Choi briefly remarked, "Under the acting president system, our government is steadily performing its duties in areas such as the economy and security."
 
Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, becomes emotional while discussing now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at a general assembly at the National Assembly in western, Seoul, on Jan. 16. [NEWS1]

Rep. Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, becomes emotional while discussing now-impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol at a general assembly at the National Assembly in western, Seoul, on Jan. 16. [NEWS1]

On Thursday, the PPP announced plans to propose its own special counsel bill to investigate Yoon's short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.
 
The move counters a DP-led bill that mandates an inquiry into allegations of insurrection and treason involving Yoon.
 
Floor leaders from both parties are set to meet on Friday to negotiate the bill’s content. If an agreement cannot be reached, the opposition is expected to use its parliamentary majority to railroad its version in the National Assembly.

BY KIM KI-JEONG, SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]
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