Young former leader of South Korea's ruling party ``People's Power'' activates movement aimed at establishing a new party - some are skeptical that it will come to fruition

In South Korea, where a general election is scheduled for next year, there are moves by Lee Jun-seok, former leader of the ruling party People's Power, to form a new party. Mr. Lee met with four of his close aides on the 12th of this month.
We set up a meeting place. It is believed that they discussed forming a new party. On the other hand, within the ``People's Power'' group, there is skepticism about the possibility of Lee forming a new party. Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo
``While there is a growing distaste for the existing two major political parties, ``People's Power'' and ``Together with the Democratic Party'' (the largest opposition party), the person who will lead the new party is not a strong presidential candidate with a strong regional base. , support
Because the party's membership is limited to a specific generation, it is difficult to see innovative and symbolic people joining the new party.'' Mr. Lee joined the party in June 2021 at the young age of 36 without any experience as a member of the National Assembly.
He became the representative and collected Hot Topics. He studied computer science and economics at Harvard University, and after graduating, he launched an IT (information technology) venture company. In 2011, Park Geun-hye (Park Geun-hye)
Megumi) Although he entered politics by being selected by President former President to serve as a member of the emergency task force of the Grand National Party, the forerunner of "People's Power," he was unsuccessful in the 2016 general election, the 2018 National Assembly by-election, and the 2020 general election.
Both were unsuccessful. He won the 2021 party representative election despite having no experience as a member, becoming the first party representative in his 30s to lead a major Korean political party.
Immediately after taking office as party president, he declared, ``We will win the presidential election.'' last year
During the presidential election, President Yoon Seo-gyul, who was the party's official candidate, said, ``I would like to entrust full power to Mr. Lee Jun-seok for the election campaign.''
He expressed his confidence in Lee, saying, ``I am very fortunate to have him as my assistant.'' On the campaign trail, both appeared in front of reporters wearing matching red hoodies. Mr. Yoon said, ``This was planned by Representative Lee.
"I fully accept this, and if I'm told to wear these clothes and run, I'll run, and if I'm told to go somewhere, I'll go," he said, showing that he is one-hearted with Mr. Lee.
However, due to conflicts with Yun's aides, he resigned as campaign committee chairman in December 2021. At the time, Mr. Lee said, ``The composition of the selection committee
If members of the committee do not follow the instructions of the election committee chairman, they are denying the existence of the election committee,'' he said, criticizing Yun's aides. However, Mr. Lee remained the party representative, and Mr. Yoon won the presidential election.
He became the representative of the ruling party. However, in July of last year, the party's Member Ethics Committee ruled that Mr. Lee was not a member of the party in accordance with internal regulations, as there were rumors that he had abetted the destruction of evidence after receiving sexual entertainment in the past.
The party voted to impose disciplinary action on Mr. Lee, suspending his party membership for six months for failing to abide by his obligation to maintain integrity. As a result, Mr. Lee's authority to execute his duties as a party representative was suspended. Mr. Lee refused to be punished.
However, he was dismissed as representative. Furthermore, the Party Central Ethics Committee subsequently suspended Lee for an additional year because he repeatedly criticized President Yoon and the party. Mr. Lee is a party member
His term as party representative expired in June of this year, during the suspension period. The suspension was scheduled to be lifted in January next year, but on the 2nd of this month, the party decided to remove the suspension against Lee after receiving a proposal from the Innovation Committee, which was established at the end of last month.
I decided to erase it. The positioning of "amnesty" towards unity within the party. Against this backdrop, Mr. Lee has recently stepped up his efforts to form a new party. According to the South Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo, Lee announced this month that
On the 10th, he held a closed lunch meeting with Kim Jong-in, former head of the emergency response committee of People's Power, and others. Kim explained to reporters, ``The purpose of the meeting was to cooperate and become one.''
On the 12th, Mr. Lee met with four ``pro-Lee'' people close to Mr. Lee. It is believed that they discussed forming a new party. According to the paper, Lee is trying to expand his support base from outside the ruling party.
That's what it means. On the 19th of this month, former Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop, who belongs to the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, is scheduled to attend a talk event in Gwangju in the southwest to give a congratulatory speech.
However, there is widespread skepticism about whether Lee will be able to establish a new party. According to Dong-A Ilbo, Park Jeong-ha, chief spokesperson for ``People's Power,'' spoke on South Korea's SBS radio program on the 10th.
One member of the group questioned, ``Political distrust is getting worse and the voting rate among the people is declining.With this kind of situation and composition, how far can a third party really take root in the constituency?''
. In addition, according to Chosun Ilbo, a political insider told the paper, ``Politicians who verbally criticize the evils of the two major political parties, but in the end, politicians who were kicked out because they were not recognized by the two parties, decided to enter their own National Assembly.'' just for me
There are many people who suspect that he will form a new party for this purpose."