Party calls for withdrawal of Kim Seung-won's justice minister nomination

Jang Dong-hyeok: 'He has not given up on his dream of a second term'

Lee Seong-kwon: 'A petty trick aimed at rallying the so-called new Lee Jae Myung base'

People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at the National Assembly on Friday regarding President Lee Jae Myung's press conference. [Yonhap]
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok speaks at the National Assembly on Friday regarding President Lee Jae Myung's press conference. [Yonhap]

The People Power Party kept up its offensive against President Lee Jae Myung following his press conference, saying he failed to give adequate answers on key issues including his suspended trial and the nomination of Kim Seung-won as justice minister. The party also pressed Lee on policy matters such as single-stock leveraged ETFs, saying the results of his pledges remain to be seen.

PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok said at a press conference Thursday that Lee's remarks were dressed up in flashy language but contained no genuine concern for the public. "He concluded that the people are always right, but what he really meant was that only Lee Jae Myung is right," Jang said.

Jang also cast doubt on Lee's statement that he has no intention of seeking a second term. "He says he has no intention of running again, but won't he eventually start talking about the people's decision?" Jang said. "Ultimately, he has still not given up on his dream of a second term." At Thursday's press conference, Lee said a second term was constitutionally impossible under the current charter and that he had no desire to pursue one.

PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo focused on whether Lee would follow through on his words. Writing on Facebook on Thursday, Ahn said Lee had "issued dozens of promissory notes" on major issues including his ineligibility for a second term, the withdrawal of charges, reform of the prosecution and police, housing supply, troop deployments and personnel failures. He said whether Lee withdraws Kim Seung-won's nomination as justice minister would be "the first test of whether those notes bounce."

"Ultimately, actions matter more than words, and the public will judge him not by grand rhetoric but solely by execution and results," Ahn added.

PPP lawmaker Na Kyung-won raised the issue of Lee's suspended trial. "What the public most wanted to hear was never said," she said. "Just say: 'I will stand trial.' Why leave out the one thing that truly matters? Is this a public declaration that he will not face trial?"

Na also recalled that Lee had previously pledged to waive his right against arrest and had said that a president who commits a crime should be punished. "Who would believe a president who constantly flip-flops and lies?" she said.

Na also called for the withdrawal of Kim's nomination. "Just one line — 'I will stand trial' — would have been enough," she said. "Everything else was take it or leave it. All pretty words."

Criticism over policy matters continued. PPP lawmaker Song Eon-seog called it "a blame-others press conference that once again disappointed a public that had hoped for an apology and reflection." He said Lee paid lip service to the idea that "the people are right" while showing no genuine willingness to correct failed policies.

Song particularly took issue with Lee's response on single-stock leveraged ETFs. "The answer on single-stock leveraged ETFs was irresponsible," he said. "A president who made stock market stimulus a core economic policy, and who was briefed on the introduction of high-risk financial products, claiming not to know who decided it or on what basis — that is simply not credible."

PPP lawmaker Lee Seong-kwon targeted the unity message that featured prominently in the press conference. "It was nothing more than a courtship directed at the Democratic Party — or more precisely, at the anti-Lee Jae Myung and pro-Moon Jae-in factions within the party," he said. He said the president wrapped his remarks in appealing packaging like "president of all" and "president of unity," but was still exploiting the insurrection narrative as a free pass to excuse his governance failures — a "petty trick" aimed at rallying what he called the "new Lee Jae Myung" base.


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