Despite his humbling apology to President Park Geun-hye, Saenuri Party floor leader Yoo Seong-min has been cornered into handing in his resignation. Saenuri legislators are taking positions in line with their factional affiliations, in a stand-off between the President and the party’s floor leader, which will deepen with unintended consequences if left unresolved.
In response to the Supreme Council’s call on Monday that he resign, Yoo said he will “give thought” to it. Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung voiced the council’s sentiment that if anyone had to take responsibility, it would be good if Yoo did. The council’s stance echoes that of the pro-Park legislators. However, some first and second-term legislators think calling on Yoo to resign is unfair, one calling it “a story harkening back to the past military regime era.”
There was no further word from Cheong Wa Dae on the issue, some say with the intention of giving Yoo time to decide. The President’s message is clear, however; that the majority whip should step aside for smoother communication between the party and the administration. Admittedly, Yoo has gone beyond the party platform by expressing his distinctive stances on issues including welfare policy and putting to open debate the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. He has been supported by the party chairman to date, but for how much longer is the question.
The President’s very public castigation of Yoo in vetoing the revised bill to the National Assembly Law has once again exposed a downside to her unilateral communications approach. If Yoo should resign, the party has to pick a new floor leader, meaning virtually a new leadership as it heads to the 2016 general elections. We cannot but ask whether the President, or the ruling party, has weighed the cost and risk in doing so against the worsening economy and the urgent need to implement reforms.
Factionalism is a significant part of Korean political parties, where faction leaders determine party candidates for elections. The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy is mired in factionalism on its path to a revamp. But if the President’s criticism of Saenuri legislators was that they did not serve the party on the floor, the ruling party should forgo power wrangling and remind themselves what their job is in regards to voters. The President should also consider a more interactive leadership, demonstrating that she can lead the ruling party toward one where factionalism exists but in co-existence with firm policy platforms.