Ruling party members say Yoon’s confidants should take responsibility

As the approval rating for the ruling party and the Yoon Suk-yeol continued to drop since the June 1 local elections, members of the ruling party raised a voice that those close to President Yoon Suk-yeol should take responsibility.

“Those close to President Yoon are pushing the ruling party and government relationships and the emergency committee,” said Rep. Kim Keun-sik, who headed the political situation analysis at the ruling party’s election campaign committee. “Their decision to retire from the front line of power would be a true loyalty for the Yoon administration’s success,” Rep. Kim said on Sunday. Party members also say that Floor Leader Kwon Seong-dong should take procedures to regain trust after the emergency committee is launched. A prominent figure of the party said that the floor leader should take action to hold himself accountable for the party’s emergency situation in order to recover his leadership for the remaining term.

In particular, the party’s members are calling for accountability for the failure of personnel matters of the presidential office, saying that those close to President Yoon who were involved in the process of appointing the advisors of the presidential office should be held responsible for the falling approval rating of the ruling party and the government. “Isn’t it clear that Rep. Jang Je-won was involved in the personnel matters during his time as the chief secretary?” said a three-term lawmaker. “Many believe that Jang should make a statement while the ruling party and the government settle the public sentiment.”

Some say that the party’s internal feud prompted by the ethics commission’s decision of severe disciplinary action on Lee Jun-seok, the leader of the People Power Party, was caused by a power struggle for nomination rights for the 22nd local elections. “Aside from the launch of the emergency committee, those close to President Yoon should publicly announce their determination to not get involved in nomination rights to prove their sincerity,” said a member of the People Power Party who served in a leadership position.


Kyung-Suk Kang coolup@donga.com