Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Main opposition party's presidential candidate in conflict with party chairman
People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl, center, touches an electric vehicle battery at the plant of Clever, a mid-sized company manufacturing battery making facilities, in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
By Nam Hyun-woo
Conflict is intensifying between the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl and party Chairman Lee Jun-seok over the organization of the former's election camp, with Lee dropping hints that he will not assist in the campaign.
According to the PPP, Chairman Lee canceled a scheduled appearance at a forum hosted by a news outlet Tuesday morning.
Hours after Lee skipped the event, the party told reporters that “Lee's official schedule, in its entirety, is now canceled.” He was scheduled to appear at a farmer federation's anniversary event and hold an interview with broadcaster KBS.
The cancelation came after Lee wrote on Facebook, Monday night, without further explanation: “If so, this is it.” He also posted an emoji “ ^-^p” meaning “thumbs down.” Lee turned off his smartphone and did not reply to PPP members' calls for the whole morning, Tuesday, according to party officials.
Lee's moves are interpreted as an expression of his disagreement with Yoon's recent campaign moves regarding personnel affairs and schedule coordination, including the appointment of Prof. Lee Soo-jeong of Kyonggi University, a renowned forensic psychologist who is also described as a feminist, as co-chair of the PPP election committee.
The chairman and the professor have been at odds, as the former gained support from male voters in their 20s and 30s by saying feminism-based policies discriminate against them.
During a radio interview with local broadcaster MBC early Monday morning before Yoon's side announced the appointment of the professor, the chairman publicly opposed it, saying “It is questionable that Lee's presence in the camp is in line with the party's direction. … If the candidate makes a decision, he can appoint Lee, but it may confuse our supporters.”
Two hours after the interview, however, Yoon named the professor as co-chair of his election committee, which is a post that Chairman Lee was also retaining, in an apparent bid to woo female voters.
People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok, left, speaks during the party's election committee meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. On the right is the party's presidential candidate Yoon Seok-youl. Joint Press Corps
The conflict between the candidate and the chairman deepened as the latter said in a separate radio interview, also Monday, that he had not been notified about Yoon's scheduled tour of regional areas. Since Monday, Yoon has been visiting Sejong, Daejeon, Cheongju and other Chungcheong provincial cities.
“Media reports said that other camp officials and I are all going to the Chungcheong region, which I had no idea about,” Lee said in an interview with broadcaster CBS.
As Lee decided to boycott all events, Yoon's side attempted to dismiss speculation about the conflict between the candidate and the chairman, with an aide to Yoon saying, “it was a misunderstanding in working-level communications.”
But concerns are only growing within the party that such a conflict would present a bumpy road for Yoon's campaign and party unity.
“If Chairman Lee is pushed out from the election committee, the PPP will face difficulties in the campaign,” said Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, who was a rival to Yoon during the party's primaries.