Former opposition leader Lee vows to fulfill unfinished responsibility

Former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Lee Nak-yeon greets supporters after returning home via Incheon International Airport after a year of studying in the U.S. on June 24. [Photo by Yonhap]

Former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Lee Nak-yeon has vowed to “fulfill unfinished responsibility” upon his return home on Sunday as he arrived at Incheon International Airport after a year in the U.S. and said, “I know that I am also responsible for the situation that Korea is in at this point.”

Lee‘s “unfinished responsibility” is interpreted as not only a resumption of political activity, but also a role in the party, including running for next year’s general election. In particular, some even interpret that it refers to a need to replace Lee Jae-myung, the current leader of the main opposition party. Some within the party have suggested that Lee could serve as the central force for the opposition against the DPK leader. -

“He will wait and see as he discusses his role in the party,” said Representative Seol Hoon, who is pro-Lee, in response to Lee’s comments. “It could be seen as a way of saying that if the party is in crisis, he will throw himself in and save the party.” Representative Kim Chul-min fueled speculation on his role to join the general election, saying, “(Lee’s) role in the general election is to repay the benefits he received from the DPK.”

However, Lee had said in a lecture in Germany before returning home that he was “not thinking about running in next year‘s general election.”

“It’s a difficult time when everyone has to work together,” Lee Jae-myung told reporters at an event celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War at Jangchung Gymnasium in central Seoul on Sunday.

More than 1,000 supporters gathered at Incheon International Airport to welcome Lee. Pro-Lee Nak-yeon lawmakers, including Seol-hoon, Lee Gae-ho, Kim Chul-min, Yoon Young-chan, Lee Byung-hoon and Park Young-soon, were also present. He spoke directly to Lee Jae-myung in a call after leaving the airport and exchanged greetings, according to sources.

Talks of Lee’s important role come as the party’s situation has been deteriorating recently. Aside from the alleged spraying of money bags at the convention and the controversy over independent lawmaker Kim Nam-kuk’s coin investment, the DPK has been mired in controversy over the appointment of the party‘s innovation committee chairman, including the Cheonan warship sinking tragedy and comments by Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming.

On Sunday, the DPK delegation visiting China said that “the suppression of human rights in Tibet is a thing of the past” and apologized after being protested by the Korea’s Jogye Buddhist sect. A DPK official recently assessed the party as having “bad news covering up bad news.”

Recent polls have shown that the approval rating of the party is lagging behind that of the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) among every age group and region, except those in their 40s and Honam region. According to the National Barometer Survey (NBS) conducted by Embrain Public Co., KSTAT Research Co., Korea Research International Inc. and Hankook Research Co. from June 19-21 among 1,001 men and women aged 18 and older nationwide, the gap in approval ratings widened to 10 percentage points, with the PPP at 35 percent and the DPK at 25 percent.