Ruling party in turmoil as leadership resigns over text message scandal

來源: 開云體育app官方網站 時間: 2023-01-29 07:52:44

The ruling People Power Party's acting chairman Rep. Kweon Seong-dong leaves his office at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

By Nam Hyun-woo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) is in turmoil as its leaders have resigned from their posts, calling for a prompt resolution to the party's infighting which originated from the leak of controversial text messages between its acting chairman Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Kweon announced Sunday that he will resign as the PPP's acting chairman, 20 days after he was ratified as the interim leader following PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok being suspended from his job for six months over allegations of sexual bribery and a cover-up.

"The party is now facing a grave crisis," Kweon, who doubles as the party's floor leader, wrote on Facebook. "We are failing to serve the people and I feel responsibility as the acting chairman of the party. … I support the resignation of a number of Supreme Council members and agree with the opinion that a prompt resolution to the party's current dispute is required."

Kweon's resignation came amid growing calls for the party to regroup itself and ease continuing disputes within its factions amid President Yoon's faltering job approval rating.

Calling for party reform, Rep. Cho Su-jin resigned from her PPP Supreme Council member post hours before Kweon's announcement, following Rep. Bae Hyun-jin who also dropped her Supreme Council post on Friday.

Along with Bae and Cho, Rep. Yoon Young-seok also offered to resign from the Supreme Council late Sunday afternoon, and Rep. Sung Il-jong also dropped hints at his possible resignation saying he will "not be obsessed with posts."

People Power Party Reps. Bae Hyun-jin, left, and Cho Su-jin shake hands during the party's Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

The PPP's leadership under Kweon has been facing questions, as he added fuel to controversies surrounding the president.

He came under fire after his Telegram messages with President Yoon were exposed by the press on Tuesday, in which Yoon described PPP Chairman Lee as a troublemaker while encouraging Kweon. The messages proved that Yoon and Lee, who butted heads throughout the presidential election campaign period, are still at odds, and the party's factional infighting is at a critical juncture.

After images of the text messages were captured, a number of pro-Yoon PPP lawmakers have been demanding Kweon's resignation from the acting chairman post, and calling for the party to be operated under an emergency committee headed by a figure other than Kweon or Lee.

Reportedly, Kweon is seeking to retain his post as floor leader, but calls are growing that he should leave all posts within the party.

As Kweon said he will cooperate on the party's transition to an emergency committee, chances are high that PPP members will agree on forming the committee, but further conflicts are expected over the interpretation of the party's charter defining the committee chief's role and authority.

If the party forms the committee, chances are slim for Lee to return as the party's chief after his suspension period ends. Due to this, Lee said the party's Supreme Council members seeking to transition to the emergency committee are "blinded by greed," likening them to Gollum, a hideous and devious fictional character from the best-selling "The Lord of the Rings" series.

To set up the emergency committee, the supreme council should be dissolved. With different interpretations on the party's charter available depending on how to define the current situation, some PPP members are claiming that the council can be dissolved when the majority of available members resigns, while others are saying all members' resignations are required.

Following the three resignation as of Sunday 5 p.m., the council was down to four of seven members. Sung, who is yet to clarify his intention, is expected to make a decision once the party determines the conditions of dissolving the council.