The Four Reform Bills Storm Aftermath and Leadership Shake-up Whirlwind

As the ruling and opposition party leaders resign one after another from their offices surrounding the responsibility issue of the “four reform bills,” each party has been drawn into the maelstrom of the leadership shake-up from the beginning of the year.

It is assumed that the ruling and opposition parties’ simultaneous leadership reshuffle will not only affect the remaining three other “reform bills’’ that the ruling party has been seeking to pass during the next special session in February, but also the overall relations between the two parties.

During the general meeting of the assembly members held right after handling the budget bill at the plenary National Assembly session on Saturday morning, Uri Party’s floor leader Rep. Chun Jung-bae stated, “Unfortunately, we could not settle the controversial bills before the end of the year. I sincerely apologize to the people and the party members, and accounting for this failure, I will resign from my position.” Following Chun’s suit, other members of the party’s floor delegation, including vice floor leader Rep. Lee Jong-geol, also expressed their will to quit their posts.

At the central standing committee meeting slated for Monday, the Uri Party is planning to discuss the matters of leadership shake-up, including the issue of party leader Lee Bu-young’s course of action. However, on the case of party leader Lee, there is a great possibility that he will stay in office since the Uri Party’s key post holders are eagerly detaining his resignation.

The Uri Party has to elect a new floor leader within a month, and until then, Rep. Hong Jae-hyong, the ruling party’s chief policymaker, will be the acting floor leader until the contest for the new floor leader.

Meanwhile, party officials of the Grand National Party (GNP) such as secretary general Rep. Kim Hyong-o and spokesman Rep. Yim Tae-hee and chief secretary Jin Young announced their intention of resignation to party leader Park Geun-hye on Saturday.

On Sunday, party leader Park, speaking through spokesman Chun Yo-ok, said, “We will reshuffle the parties’ key post holders at the beginning of the year during the regular inaugural calls.” Chun spokesman explained, “What Park leader means by ‘at the beginning of the year’ for the reshuffle time is before February 9, Lunar New Year’s day.”

Such comments by party leader Park are interpreted as reforming the party face by reshuffling the party officials after revising the party order policy and conducting a party advanced operation during this month.

Meanwhile, the conservative lawmakers from Yeongnam, targeting floor leader Kim Deog-ryong, stated, “He has not accomplished the view of the party during the four reform bill negotiation process,” but floor leader Kim is avoiding the issue.

Yeon-Wook Jung Young-Hae Choi jyw11@donga.com yhchoi65@donga.com