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.
Political newcomer takes luster off of ex-ruling party chief's breakaway bid
Former People Power Party Chairman Lee Jun-seok speaks during a ceremony launching the new political party "New Choice" at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Dec. 17. Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
Lee Jun-seok's aides unsure about leaving PPP
A plan by the former chairman of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to create a breakaway party is losing luster as the attention of the public is drawn by ex-Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon’s political debut as the interim chief of the PPP.
Lee Jun-seok plans to announce his departure from the party, Wednesday, after clashing with the PPP’s mainstream lawmakers who are loyal to President Yoon Suk Yeol. After exiting the PPP, the former chairman is anticipated to launch his own party soon.
Once viewed as a golden boy among conservatives, Lee lost his political footing after being removed from the party’s leadership over a bribery and prostitution scandal in 2022. Since then, Lee has been butting heads with the president and his loyalists in the party as he struggles to maintain a political presence and build up momentum for a successful return.
In recent months, Lee has been raising pressure on the PPP by threatening to create a new party if Yoon does not change his leadership style by Wednesday, casting concerns over a rift within the ruling camp before the general elections in April.
Ex-Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon watches reporters and photographers as he gets on an elevator at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday, a day before he was nominated as the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party. Yonhap
However, the move has been overshadowed by the PPP’s nomination of the former justice minister as its interim leader last week.
Han, a former prosecutor and protege of Yoon, instantly became the center of media attention, drawing contradicting expectations that he may bring changes to the ruling party or end up becoming a mouthpiece of the president.
Upon Han’s much-heralded debut, Lee’s close associates also voiced doubts over the breakaway party bid.
During a radio interview with broadcaster CBS, Friday, former PPP Supreme Council member Kim Yong-tae said his duty is “pursuing reforms from within the party” and added that he will work to “demonstrate the party’s diversity.”
Kim is one of Lee's four closest associates in the PPP. The other three are Rep. Her Eun-a, Chun Ha-ram, the head of the party’s regional unit in Suncheon in South Jeolla Province, and Gyeonggi Province Council member Lee Ki-in.
Among them, the Gyeonggi Province councilman announced that he will follow the former chairman and join the breakaway party, but Her and Chun have remained silent until now.
PPP Rep. Sung Il-jong said in a radio interview with broadcaster YTN, “(Former Chairman Lee) must know that creating a new party isn’t that easy.” Sung added, “There has not been a single case of a new party being successful in Korea’s rival party hegemony unless there is a superstar or a strong home turf.”
Against that backdrop, pundits were skeptical over a potential meeting between the former and new chiefs of the PPP.
Kim Geun-sik, a former PPP strategist, said in an interview with CBS, Monday, that chances are slim for Lee to postpone his scheduled departure from the PPP due to Han’s appointment, while the ex-justice minister is also in no rush to meet the former party chief.
“The significance of Han’s potential meeting with Lee is about restoring the conservative alliance which existed when President Yoon was winning the presidential election,” Kim said. “There will be no problem even if they meet in February or March, after the PPP finishes its candidate selection.”