Yoo Seong-min, “What Will the People Say If the Leader of the People Power Party Is Like President Yoon’s Slave?”

Former People Power Party lawmaker Yoo Seong-min. Yonhap News

On December 29, former lawmaker Yoo Seong-min argued that the race to lead the People Power Party (PPP) was turning into a competition of candidates promoting special ties with President Yoon and criticized, “If the People Power Party leader is someone like the slave or servant of President Yoon, what will the people think when they see such a party leader and such a party?”

Yoo appeared on Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show on CBS radio Thursday morning and said, “It seems like this party convention has turned into some race to promote special ties with President Yoon. I don’t care if ‘Yoon’s key aides’ fight each other, form an alliance, fall in love, or stalk each other claiming ‘I have Yoon’s support’...” and criticized the race for the PPP leader. He also stressed the significance of the party leader position and asked, “If such a person just goes to the presidential residence and enjoys a meal but can’t say a word even when the president has done something wrong 100%, will the people vote for such a party?”

Former lawmaker Yoo also spoke on the press coverage of lawmaker Kim Gi-hyeon and his wife having dinner at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong with President Yoon. Yoo said, “Whether it’s Kim Gi-hyeon or somebody else, I don’t mind people having a meal. But if he is going to see people at his residence, then please meet everyone equally.” He added, “I wish he would invite the bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy to the residence and listen to them and comfort them--extend a sincere apology.”

As for his bid in the party convention, Yoo said, “I think it is the wish of Yoon’s key aides that I say that I will not run.” He further said, “I noticed that Yoon’s key aides were now announcing their bids. I will decide after I take a look at what all those people do.”

Yoo was very critical of President Yoon. He said, “While engaging in politics for 23 years, I have experienced a lot of violence from power. As soon as the president said, ‘Isn’t it better to have party member votes determine the outcome 100%’ in connection to the party convention, just a few days later, like conducting a military operation in a flash, they passed it (amendment of the party constitution), and that was really a reckless run of power” and added, “I think people tend to take off too hastily like this when they get hold of power. President Yoon is the same.” He continued and said, “When someone can’t appropriately control the weight of power and makes wrong decisions bewitched by some kind of black magic, the people around him have to keep him in check and tell him.”

Yoo argued, “When it comes to politics, you really have to do it with your belief, your philosophy,” and said, “If a politician becomes someone’s minion or henchman, it’s some kind of gang world, isn’t it? I only hope that he thinks carefully about what kind of president he will go down as in the history of the Republic of Korea.”

As for Yoon’s key aides--referred to as Yoonhaekgwan in Korean--Yoo said, “Whatever Yoon’s key aides say, really, I don’t care the least bit. I pay absolutely no attention to them.” “Tell them to say whatever they want. They’re only trying to gain points to get nominated as a parliamentary candidate, because they all have disqualifications,” he criticized.

As for the suggestion by some party members that the candidates for party leader run in the Seoul metropolitan area in the parliamentary elections, Yoo said, “Whether it be Geumcheon or Yeongdeungpo or Gwanak or wherever, of course I will run if my bid is necessary to win in the parliamentary election.”