Floor leaders of DP, PPP step down amid changes in party leadership
The floor leaders of the country's two major parties officially stepped down Thursday as the parties gear up for a leadership change.
The press conferences for ruling Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Park Chan-dae and People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, which were held within hours of each other, came a week after President Lee Jae-myung took office after winning the early election triggered by former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.
As Park wrapped up his year-long term as floor leader, he revealed plans to run for the leader of the ruling party and called his experience 'a glorious journey' with the South Korean people. The three-term lawmaker and a close aide of Lee had assumed the role of floor leader in May 2024. He also assumed the role of acting chair after Lee stepped down as party leader in April to run for president.
'The Democratic Party of Korea has become a responsible ruling party which has President Lee Jae-myung on our side,' Park said during a press conference held at the National Assembly, a day before his term as floor leader was to expire.
The Democratic Party currently holds the majority of 171 of the total 300 seats in the Assembly.
'We must walk towards completing the national task of ending the insurrection, recovering the livelihoods of the people, economic recovery and unity of the people, together with our great people who succeeded in protecting South Korea once again,' he added.
Park lauded the three contentious special counsel investigation bills railroaded by the Democratic Party, passed in the Assembly and endorsed by Lee, to probe several allegations against Yoon, his wife Kim Keon Hee and the previous administration. All three bills were reintroduced after being vetoed by Yoon when he was president.
'Weren't the special counsel investigation bills continuously pursued by the Democratic Party the biggest threat to the Yoon Suk Yeol administration?' Park said. 'President Lee Jae-myung has finally promulgated the three special counsel investigations, which are the insurrection probe, Kim Keon Hee probe and the investigation into the death of a Marine — it's an outcome of a long struggle that has continued from last year.'
The Democratic Party is scheduled to elect its new floor leader Friday.
Meanwhile, Kweon, who announced his resignation earlier in June following former People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo's election loss, denounced Yoon's failed Dec. 3 martial law bid and expressed hopes that his party would 'move beyond' the current internal rift.
'President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law bid was illegal and a terribly wrong political decision,' Kweon said at the Assembly. 'I still cannot understand why (Yoon) declared martial law.'
While Kweon was viewed as a supporter of Yoon within the party, Kweon declined to be labeled as such. 'I played a noticeable part in the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration and the labels of 'pro-Yoon' and an 'aide of Yoon' have always followed me — but I have never flattered the president nor received any special treatment.'
Kweon wrapped up the conference by saying that he hopes the 'People Power Party would now move beyond the swamp of division and each and every one of its lawmakers would become elites who would (work for) the party.'
Kweon was elected as floor leader in December.
This marked the second time Kweon served as the People Power Party's floor leader. Previously, he served from April to September 2022.
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