Former lawmaker Lee Un-ju, who left the People Power Party on January 18th. Currently, there are mixed opinions both within and outside the party regarding his reinstatement to the Democratic Party of Korea. (Photo source: former lawmaker Lee Eon-joo’s Facebook)
[굿모닝충청 조하준 기자]
Former lawmaker Lee Eon-joo, who left the People Power Party on January 18, announced his position on Facebook on the morning of the 1st about returning to the Democratic Party of Korea. In the article, mainly pro-Moon faction and 586 generation members of the National Assembly express their negative stance on his reinstatement and express their opinion that they are cautious about reinstatement because they feel that he may be becoming an excuse for a power struggle within the party.
Former lawmaker Lee said on his Facebook page that day that he had not thought about it at all before being offered reinstatement by the Democratic Party of Korea and that he is still considering it carefully. Regarding the reason, he said, “When I left the Democratic Party, the wounds I received were deep due to the tens of thousands of text bombs and the conflict with activists who had heterogeneous sentiments from Generation X, and I was still conscious of the problem.”
Meanwhile, former lawmaker Lee said, “Of course, there may have been people who were hurt by my emotional comments due to my anger at the time. “I always feel sorry, especially to the party members and supporters who supported me with a lot of affection,” he said.
Former lawmaker Lee also said, “No matter how hurt I was, no matter how different my political beliefs were, I think it would have been better if I had dealt with it more wisely. “Of course, because the parties were different, there may have been cases where I was faithful to that affiliation or to my democratic conservative tendencies,” he said, seeming to somewhat regret his past actions.
Then, it was reported that recently, a number of lawmakers around Lee Jae-myeong, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed the idea of forming a kind of anti-Yun united front since former lawmaker Lee has become a symbolic politician of the independent anti-Yoon faction. In response, former lawmaker Lee said that he sympathized with the purpose, but dismissed it, saying that it would take great courage to return to the party, and that he would listen if Representative Lee Jae-myeong spoke to him directly.
In response, he explained that Representative Lee Jae-myung made a similar statement over the phone and proposed reinstatement to the party. However, after the article was published, he expressed his opinion that he was truly embarrassed that mainly pro-Moon circles and 586 Movement lawmakers were publicly criticizing him. Regarding this, former lawmaker Lee said, “Each person may have different thoughts, and of course, if I decide to return to the party, we will have to resolve issues with each other.”
At the same time, he is still only an outsider outside the party and the battle at the time is not currently ongoing. However, by making excessive personal attacks and revealing the wounds of the past, he is emphasizing the cause of setting the country straight and uniting in judging the regime. He claimed that he did not think it would be helpful to Representative Lee Jae-myung or other figures within the party who suggested accompanying him. At the same time, he added, “I even worry that I may be becoming an excuse for a power struggle within the party.”
In addition, former lawmaker Lee described himself as “a democratic conservative independent who strongly criticized the mismanagement of the Moon Jae-in administration in the past and is now strongly criticizing the mismanagement and recklessness of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration,” adding, “I was disappointed after supporting the Moon Jae-in administration after the impeachment.” He added, “I have been representing the sentiments of the people who supported the People Power Party in anticipation of change in the fallen conservative party, but were disappointed again and became independents.”
Former lawmaker Lee revealed that he is criticizing the ‘activist vested interests’ that were powerful during the Moon Jae-in administration and now the ‘prosecution vested interests’ and ‘conservative vested interests.’ He said, “I thought about what was right first rather than whose side I was on, and that remains the same even now. “That is the third way that I pursue, and I believe that if any political party can implement it, the Republic of Korea will stand on its feet.”
Lastly, former lawmaker Lee said, “I am wondering whether it is possible to build an anti-Yun united front for democratic conservatives like me and whether I can play a role in the innovation of the Democratic Party.” He said, “I am well aware of the wishes of many Democratic Party members and supporters who want the country to stand upright and the party to change, as well as non-partisan citizens who want me to play a role in political change, so I am burdened and considering the best plan.”
Currently, opinions are sharply divided not only within the Democratic Party but also among progressive political commentators on the issue of former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju’s reinstatement. First, in the case of writer Lee Dong-hyeong, he took issue with former lawmaker Lee Eon-ju’s frequent changes in party affiliation, saying, “If you betray once, you betray twice or three times,” and “What happens to those who live with their bones buried in the Democratic Party, whether they become porridge or bread?” He dismissed it.
However, writer Lee Dong-hyeong still expressed his opinion, saying, “However, there must be an angle, but I think it would be okay if former lawmaker Lee volunteered to, for example, stand up with lawmaker Yang Gi-dae in Gwangmyeong-si Eul, his original constituency.” Rep. Yang Ki-dae is considered a representative Lee Nak-linked figure, and this is interpreted to mean that unless former lawmaker Lee Eon-joo is willing to clash with a Lee Nak-linked figure, it is inevitable.
On the other hand, Blue Tree PD Kwon Hyeon-moon, the operator of the YouTube channel Saenal, did not directly express his opinion for or against reinstatement, but cited the example of Rep. Lee Sang-min (Daejeon Yuseong-gu Eul) and said, “Rep. Lee Eon-ju was more critical when he criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol in the People Power Party. “It shined,” he said. In other words, President Yoon’s critical message had a greater damaging effect when he was a member of the People Power Party, but if he rejoins the Democratic Party, the effect will be reduced. However, he added the message that if former lawmaker Lee truly returns to the party, he will have to apologize to the Democratic Party members and supporters.
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