Young and unorthodox dominate PPP's new leadership

The People Power Party on Thursday unveiled a roster filled with unorthodox political voices selected by interim leader Han Dong-hoon to join him on the party’s emergency steering committee.

People Power Party (PPP) interim chief Han Dong-hoon enters the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]

The conservative People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday unveiled a roster filled with uncharacteristically young and unorthodox political voices selected by interim leader Han Dong-hoon to join him on the party’s emergency steering committee, which is expected to lead the PPP through the April general election.

Their appointment comes after PPP members such as Rep. Ha Tae-keung called on Han to form a leadership team composed of younger faces to strike a contrast with the rival Democratic Party (DP), whose senior leadership mainly consists of politicians who built their reputations as student democracy activists in the 1980s.

The appointees named by Han on Thursday include blind pianist and PPP Rep. Kim Yea-ji, who opposed her party’s hostile stance toward a local disability advocacy group that has staged sit-ins at Seoul subway stations during rush hour.

The 43-year-old Kim is the only politician chosen by Han for a seat on the emergency steering committee.

Another committee member, 58-year-old Min Kyung-woo, previously led a pro-North organization but later turned against the student democracy movement for its ties to Pyongyang.

The presence of Min, who currently serves as the co-president of the Gil political advocacy group, is likely intended to underline Han’s previously stated intent to “eliminate the special political status enjoyed by former student democracy activists” who make up the bulk of the DP’s upper echelons.

In a sign of outreach to segments of the population traditionally overlooked by the PPP, Han also chose Chang Seo-jeong, the 45-year-old founder of child care and education platform Jaranda, who also serves as an advocate for better government policies to serve working mothers.

Other members of the committee named by Han on Thursday include Han Ji-a, a 45-year-old associate professor at Eulji University; Koo Ja-ryong, a 45-year-old lawyer and expert on the Daejang-dong development corruption scandal; Park Eun-sik, a 39-year-old doctor and civic group leader Park Eun-sik; and Yoon Do-hyun, a 21-year-old youth mentor who grew up in state foster care.

Like Han, most of the newly named emergency steering committee members are expected to not run for a seat in the National Assembly next year.

In his acceptance speech on Tuesday, Han vowed to “do all” he can to ensure the party's victory in the upcoming general election scheduled for April, without running for a seat in the National Assembly himself.

In his criticism of the DP, Han also argued that the country “deserves better politics” led by “competent and dynamic individuals who understand people’s interests.”

His declaration that he would not run for office appeared to suggest his current objectives are limited to revamping the party’s public image ahead of the general election.

The eleven-member committee led by Han will officially launch after their nominations have been confirmed by the party’s standing national committee on Friday.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]