Song Eon-seok, floor leader of the People Power Party, said on April 4 that the party’s nomination process had become “out of control” under Lee Jung-hyun’s Nomination Management Committee and that replacing the committee chair was unavoidable.
He praised Rep. Park Deok-heum, the newly appointed committee chair, as someone with exceptional skill in internal communication, coordination and conflict mediation, calling him the best person to close out the process.
Appearing on TV Chosun’s Gangjeokdeul, Song said he expects Park to perform well. He characterized the move not as a dissolution but as a transition into a consolidation phase after the committee fulfilled its role. Under the new leadership, he said, efforts will focus on resolving disputes and reorganizing the process.
Responding to former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo’s public endorsement of Democratic Party candidate Kim Boo-kyum for Daegu mayor, Song called the gesture “plainly self-serving.” He criticized Hong, who retired from politics, for continuing to stir up trouble within the party that supported his career for decades. “It’s hard to feel respect for someone who keeps doing that. There are more party members who feel anger than people might expect,” he said.
On the possible high-profile contest in Busan North between former minister Han Dong-hoon and Cho Kuk, Song said both men face the immediate task of entering the National Assembly. “The People Power Party will also run a candidate, so we must soberly assess each contender’s chances of winning,” he said, adding he doubts Han would enter a race unless his prospects were clear.
He suggested both men may be influenced by the belief that they are the smartest people in the room. While calling Han “one of the stronger figures in the conservative camp,” Song said Han’s high opinion of himself appears to limit his effectiveness in communicating with others.
About Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Song said that as an incumbent seeking a fourth term expectations are high, and he would like to see Oh generate a bold, agenda-shifting issue to reshape the race — a move Song finds somewhat lacking so far.
On his relationship with former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Song said, “Regardless of motive, declaring emergency rule in a 21st-century democracy like South Korea is unacceptable.” He stressed that those who did wrong should acknowledge their mistakes, reflect, apologize and humbly appeal to the public if they hope to regain trust.
On the supplementary budget bill, Song noted that last year’s assumptions for this year’s main budget — 2% economic growth, 64 USD per barrel (approximately 85,333 KRW), and an exchange rate of 1,380 KRW (about 1.04 USD) to the dollar — have already been invalidated. He warned that, if conditions persist, tax revenues could show a significant shortfall in the second half of the year.
He said that even if current tax receipts exceed expectations, the government must plan for how to allocate funds if the economy weakens later. “Treating the supplementary budget as if it isn’t debt-financed and using it as an excuse for unfettered spending is a problem,” he said.
He added that the opposition is not indifferent to the country’s welfare; if a supplementary budget is passed, it should prioritize those who suffered direct harm.
On allegations that Democratic Seoul mayoral hopeful Jung Won-oh’s trip to Cancun resembled a pleasure trip, Song said Cancun is widely known as a tourist and resort city, making it an odd choice for official business. The concern, he said, is not merely that a woman participated in the trip, but that the trip appears to have violated its stated official purpose.
He accused the campaign of failing to provide truthful travel plans and post-trip reports, pointing to signs of manipulation: the gender field was initially removed, it was later listed as “male–male,” and approval stamps suddenly appeared. “They have not explained those inconsistencies at all,” he said. “Clearly, there is something they want to hide.”
