Lee Nak-yeon, head of the Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a high-level policy council held at the Korean Federation of Trade Unions in Yeouido, Seoul on the 8th. yunhap news
Six months ago, Lee Nak-yeon, the leader of the Democratic Party, took the place of the ruling party with the modifier’Eo Dae-nak’ (representative Lee Nak-yeon anyway). At that time, the momentum of being the number one runner in the passport for the next presidential election was the power that pushed him up to the party representative. Now he ends his’short term of six months’ on the 9th. According to the Democratic Party’s rule of’separation of party power and presidential power’, the presidential office will be laid down a year before the presidential election, and the challenge of the presidential power will be accelerated. Was the last six months given the political momentum to ‘President Lee Nak-yeon’, or was it a time to eat up his political assets? During his tenure, CEO Lee had to focus on alleviating the suffering of the public welfare economy caused by the spread of Corona 19. Although there was a conflict with the financial authorities over the size of the financial resources, they led the formation of an additional budget for the second to fourth disaster subsidies. Amid opposition from the people’s strength, the government pushed for amendment to the High-ranking Public Officials Crime Investigation Unit Act, putting the’launch of the airlift,’ which was the current government’s core state affairs, on track. However, it was also criticized for the handling of the Severe Accident Corporate Penalty Act because it was insufficient to prevent deaths and accidents in the industrial field, and also fraudulent backlash from ruling party supporters by remarking the necessity of a special pardon from former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye. Inside and outside the party, there are many evaluations that Lee’s ‘6 months income statement’ is relatively clear. It was said that it had a considerable effect of’organizational expansion’ based on the party power, but it also lost the existing approval ratings due to the inability to clearly show political achievements and the ability to clear up conflicts within the passport. During his tenure, President Lee was able to naturally increase his contact with lawmakers and officials by running TFs and various special committees in the party to cope with various issues during his tenure. Some people have a burden on Lee’s leadership, who emphasizes thorough work, but it is said that’friendliness’ also increased as Lee increased communication with lawmakers. A member of the party’s leadership in charge of a major position said, “Before becoming the party representative, there seemed to be a limit in the expansion of the organization, but now (the members close to Lee) are said to be about 50 people.” I talked a lot about asking for help.” However, it is difficult to say that it is fully supported by the’Pastor Moon Jae-in’ who can be seen as the central axis of the party. Rep. Han Chin-moon said, “I don’t think anyone who supports Lee yet will not be able to do so,” and said, “I have to win the next presidential election anyway, so there seems to be a concern (about Lee’s approval rating, etc.).” The decline in approval ratings is a painful part for Lee as well. It has been stably ranked first in various public opinion polls, but has been pushed back to third place after becoming the party’s representative. In the party, there is an opinion that Lee’s failure to imprint his political power in coping with big issues is the cause of the decline in support. A re-elected member of the Democratic Party said, “Political power appears in the context of conflict, depending on how it is coordinated. In the background of Lee’s high approval rating, there was an expectation that he would show his politics while serving as a supplement to the president as a former prime minister, but it was not.” Rep. Lee also said, “In the face of conflict between former Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and former Attorney General Yoon Seok-yeol, as well as in the event of a disaster subsidy screening-universal debate, we were unable to properly organize (without missing the timing)” It means that the public message and management of political actions have not been elaborated.
Democratic Party leader Lee Nak-yeon pledges to win the by-election at Seoul Mayor Park Young-seon’s camp office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. From left, Democratic Party leader Kim Tae-yeon, Candidate Park, and Lee. yunhap news
However, there are many views in the party that “Nak-Yeon Lee’s full-fledged game is from now on.” As the ruling party representative, there was no big defeat, so the key is how much to show Lee Nak-yeon’s’political vision’ that will solve the problems of the times by separating the’representative title’. He is also expected to focus on realizing the’new welfare system’, which he proposed as an alternative to resolve the income gap and deepening economic inequality caused by Corona 19 during his time as the party leader. On the afternoon of the 9th, the last day of his tenure, he will give a lecture on the’National Caring Responsibility System’ at a hotel in Yeouido, Seoul. In the party, it is said that the result of the 4·7 re-election will have the most influence on Lee’s approval rating. This is because, as Lee decided to nominate candidates for the Seoul-Busan mayoral by-election by revising the party constitution through a former party member vote, he cannot be free from responsibility for the election results. While releasing his representative position, he expressed his willingness to lead the election to the end by serving as the co-president of the Jaebo-seon. A member of the Democratic Party’s metropolitan area said, “Up to now, Lee’s leadership has been inconsequential. The 4·7 re-election is the time to show Lee’s leadership.” It means that this re-election, which is fiercely held in the preliminary character of the presidential election, could be an opportunity to rebuild the political assets of’President Nak-yeon Lee’. By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter