ED Ruling party in turmoil
Power struggle to intensify amid leadership vacuum
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been thrown into turmoil after its ethnics committee decided to suspend the party membership of Chairman Lee Jun-seok for six months, Friday, over his attempt to cover up sexual bribery allegations. The decision is expected to deepen the party's internal conflicts over how to fill the leadership vacuum. It is also likely to have an adverse impact on the Yoon Suk-yeol administration which is struggling to promote national unity amid looming economic woes.
The disciplinary action against the leader of the nation's main conservative party is unprecedented. It is raising concerns about the fate of the PPP as the committee's verdict came amid an escalating power struggle between the young, reform-minded faction supporting Lee and the pro-Yoon faction that is trying to protect their vested interests and tighten their grip on the party. It is inevitable for the party to tarnish its reputation and lose public trust further.
It is natural for any leaders of political parties to be subject to disciplinary action if they commit misdeeds. Lee, for his part, needs to accept disciplinary action if he was involved in any wrongdoings. But, as things stand now, the problem is apparently not a matter of right and wrong. Rather, it is more like factional strife.
Lee now faces the worst political crisis ever since he took the helm of the beleaguered PPP in June 2021 at the age of 36. He became the youngest leader of any mainstream party, vowing to bring new politics and hope to the PPP which was reeling from the aftermath of the 2017 impeachment of Park Geun-hye over a corruption and abuse of power scandal.
Lee, a Harvard University graduate, deserves credit for leading the PPP to win the March 9 presidential election and the June 1 local elections. But he has been at odds with Yoon and other key party members over a number of issues, including how to nominate a presidential candidate and how to run the presidential campaign headquarters. It is disappointing to see Lee and Yoon loyalists engaging in a dog-eat-dog power struggle. The PPP's political bigwigs close to President Yoon are certainly trying to ditch Lee after recapturing power.
First of all, Lee should clearly explain his stance on allegations that he received sexual services paid for by a businessman in 2013. He also must do everything he can to clear up allegations that he attempted to cover up the wrongdoing earlier this year. His denial tactics will not work unless he offers convincing explanations to the people.
However, he has now made it clear that he will neither accept the ethics committee's verdict nor step down as party leader. He is considering appealing the verdict, although there is little possibility of the committee retracting its decision. He is also seeking to file a court injunction against disciplinary action. Meanwhile, PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and other lawmakers close to Yoon are reportedly putting pressure on Lee to step down and seeking to install a new party leader.
In case Lee's party membership is suspended, Rep. Kweon is expected to serve as acting chairman of the PPP. Then, the party may appoint an interim leader, or hold a national convention to elect a new chairman. However, either option may backfire as long as Lee refuses to give up his chairmanship. If that happens, the party's leadership vacuum will remain longer.
Against this backdrop, not only Lee but also the party will suffer irrecoverable damage. A growing number of supporters of the PPP might turn their backs on the conservative party. So Lee and his opponents need to find a viable solution to the problem through dialogue and compromise. If they continue to play dirty and stick to old politics, they will be judged sternly by the people.