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 candidate seeks to stand on his own
People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol looks down during a press conference on the dissolution of his election committee at the party's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps
By Nam Hyun-woo
Yoon announces disbandment of campaign committee, bids farewell to 'kingmaker'
By Nam Hyun-woo
Main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol dissolved his election committee and formed a streamlined campaign team, which appears to be the political novice's attempt to maintain a distance from the party's influence and stand on his own during the remainder of his race.
Yoon announced the drastic reform, Wednesday, saying he will start over from scratch. In doing so, existing election committee chief Kim Chong-in will step down from Yoon's presidential campaign, and PPP Rep. Kwon Young-se will lead the new team.
“I will start over from the beginning, and it will be different from what I have done so far,” Yoon said during a press conference at the party's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul. “Instead of distributing positions to lawmakers, I will form a thoroughly practical election team.”
On Monday, the heads of the committee's six smaller units and other members of the election camp offered to resign, saying they will take the responsibility for Yoon's declining support rate and an internal strife that has plagued the party. Since then, Yoon called off all of his scheduled public appearances and focused on forming a new election team.
During the conference, Yoon apologized to the public for the PPP's internal strife and other controversies, saying “everything is entirely my fault as the candidate,” but also noted the bulky election committee as one of the reasons for his declining support rate.
“The committee was described as a 'mammoth,' and I admit that it has been failing to grasp the public sentiment properly,” Yoon said. “Also, I am aware of the public's concerns that people close to me are influencing the election committee. I won't be making the same mistakes.”
Yoon's reform measures are being perceived as his attempt not to be swayed by any influences from election committee chief Kim and other PPP members and stand on his own during the remainder of the race.
People Power Party election committee chief Kim Chong-in leaves his office in Jongno District, Seoul, Wednesday, after watching the party's presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol announces that he will dissolve his election committee. Joint Press Corps
Hours before Yoon's announcement, Kim told reporters, “If our thoughts do not align, we part ways,” indicating that he would resign as the head of Yoon's campaign.
After Yoon announced the reform measures, Kim criticized the candidate's ability to pick appropriate aides.
“An election committee is bound to be an organization of many people having different interests,” Kim said. “To succeed, the candidate has to be a good judge of people, but Yoon isn't. This has caused the current situation.”
Kim also ruled out any possibility of joining Yoon's new campaign team, and claimed that his plan to form a new campaign team lacks details.
“As a third-party, I have nothing to comment on Yoon's new team,” Kim said. “Politicians have to say something that brings people's sympathy and makes them feel something. If you don't have that feeling, you cannot persuade anyone.”
Kim earned his nickname, “kingmaker,” for helping both liberal and conservative parties win key elections. Kim joined Yoon's election committee as the executive chairman last month, after staging a tug-of-war with Yoon and PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok, who insisted Kim's presence is necessary for the election.
Even after Kim joined the camp, Yoon quickly lost support apparently due to a slew of controversial remarks as well as lingering suspicions over his wife's career. During this process, the PPP was mired in factional infighting, with the party's chairman quitting all of his posts at the election committee.
To reverse the situation, Kim on Monday announced a drastic overhaul of the election committee, in which the heads of units of the camp offered their resignation. However, Kim made the announcement without informing Yoon ahead, which triggered suspicions that Lee, Kim and other members of the PPP are looking down on the candidate.
As Kim and other election committee members depart, questions remain over how Yoon will fill the vacuum of Kim's influence and withstand the ensuing political turbulence on his own.
Pundits say the party's internal strife stems from doubts over Yoon's grip on his camp and the party, and replacing all of his current aides and forming a smaller campaign team could not be proof that Yoon now has leadership in the party. Criticism over Yoon's controversial rhetoric and suspicions over his wife lying on her resumes also remain unaddressed, casting uncertainties as to whether he can facilitate a rebound in his support rate with the reforms.
With Yoon dropping vague hints on his new election team, anticipation is growing that he will ask for help from his primary rivals Rep. Hong Joon-pyo and former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min. It is also probable that he will seek to form a coalition with the moderate-conservative People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo.