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| Main opposition People Power Party's emergency committee chief Kim Chong-in, right, listens to floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday, during an online general meeting with party members from across the country. Yonhap |
By Jung Da-min
The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) is undergoing internal conflict, with a significant number of members protesting interim chief Kim Chong-in's reform drives which they view as a radical departure from their conservative identity.
They complain Kim is pushing ahead with his ideas without sufficient discussion with party members.
Kim has pursued many new policies since becoming the head of the party's emergency committee after the then-United Future Party (UFP) faced a crushing defeat in April's general election.
Some of the policies were similar to those usually sought by liberal parties, and Kim recently agreed, in principle, on a set of new regulations for corporations that was pushed forward by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
The regulations are aimed at limiting the largest stakeholders' control on corporate boards in an effort to realize a "fair economy," and Kim said the proposed legislation is in line with the main opposition party's new platform that includes the principles of realizing "economic democratization."
But the regulations have been criticized by the majority of PPP lawmakers who call them "anti-corporate" regulations that could limit business activities. They say Kim's push is against the conservative party's earlier stance of supporting the autonomy and self-regulation of the market.
While Kim said he believes PPP members do not disagree with the regulations in principle and only some details may require changes, PPP floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young took a prudent attitude, saying, "We haven't yet grasped lawmakers' opinions on the matter."
Such disputes and lawmakers' discontent with Kim's reform drives are also shown in the heated debate surrounding the party's new logo and colors.
Since the party changed its name from the UFP to the PPP, Sept. 2, it has been planning to change its official colors and logo as well. It originally came up with the plan to use red, blue and yellow all together for the party's colors to show its willingness to extend its support base by embracing more diverse social classes.
But it faced opposition from some members, who claimed the three colors lack a clear message. Some also said yellow reminds people of the minor liberal Justice Party, blue, the ruling DPK, and red, the Saenuri Party, a predecessor to the PPP which was associated with the color. Some others said they preferred pink, which the party used during the general election when it was still called the UFP.
The party was supposed to make an official announcement of its final decision on its logo and colors on Sunday but the announcement was delayed several times, to Monday and Tuesday and further, saying additional discussions and the collection of party members' opinions were needed.
Changing party colors and logo does not require the approval of a nationwide general assembly of the party ― the emergency committee can make the decision. But the delays of the announcement show the complaints from party members have been strong.
