2026: 국민의힘 공천관리위원장 사퇴로 본 정치적 위기, 이정현의 결정적 이유는?

The resignation of Lee Jeong-hyeon, allegations of a deal to withdraw charges involving the Democratic Party and Kim Eo-jun's YouTube program, and disputes over the new "law-distortion" offense dominated newspaper coverage. Below is a roundup of major editorials published on the 14th.

The People Power Party's nomination committee chair, Lee Jeong-hyeon, abruptly resigned 29 days after his appointment. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon twice refused to file his candidacy, demanding that party leader Jang Dong-hyuk sever ties with the "Yoon Again" faction. Although 107 party lawmakers issued a resolution calling for a break with Yoon, critics say Jang has taken no visible steps.

Kyunghyang, in an editorial titled "With the Battle Between Jang and Oh, Nomination Committee Chair Resigns — Will the People Power Party's Local Election Bid Collapse?," blamed the party's internal turmoil on Jang's misleading anti‑Yoon stance. It argued that while the party resolution professes opposition to Yoon Suk Yeol's return and demands an apology for national strife, Jang has ignored calls for personnel changes and a shift in party direction. The editorial warned that his inaction is dragging the party into a quagmire.

The Kukmin Ilbo, in "Nomination Committee Chair Resignation Caused by Party Infighting," said Jang responded to Oh's registration refusals by saying "fairness is the life of nominations," a remark that shifts blame for the nomination chaos onto the mayor while implicitly threatening exclusion. The paper argued that such talk of fairness looks more like an attempt to evade responsibility. It added that some party lawmakers have even suggested that lacking a clear leader might paradoxically help their election prospects.

The Democratic Party filed a complaint against reporter Jang In‑su, who appeared on Kim Eo‑jun's YouTube program "News Factory" and raised allegations of a deal to withdraw charges in President Lee Jae‑myung's case in exchange for expanded prosecutorial investigative powers.

The Chosun Ilbo criticized the party for not naming Kim in its complaint in an editorial titled "Democrats File Complaint Over Alleged Charge‑Drop Deal — But Leave Out Kim Eo‑jun." The paper noted that when a guest raised the allegation on Kim's show on the 10th, Kim responded by saying, "This was a major scoop." Despite the political fallout from those remarks, the editorial said the Democratic Party did not respond immediately. Although the party vowed a strong response, it excluded Kim from the complaint; a civic group, not the party, ultimately filed a complaint against him. The editorial cited specific figures — 64 Democratic lawmakers appeared on Kim's channel 259 times over the past six months — and questioned whether the party is simply unable to act against a host whose program has aired such serious allegations.

The Dong-A Ilbo, in "After a Conspiracy Theory Broadcast, They Shrug Off Responsibility — Will We Let This YouTube Channel Run Wild?," argued that even if Kim did not know in advance about the guest's remarks, he still bears significant responsibility for airing them. The paper noted that Kim's channel functions like an internet news outlet and even maintains a reporter covering the Blue House. While not every report can be perfect, the editorial insisted the outlet must minimize false reporting through fact‑checking and editorial gatekeeping, stressing its responsibility as a media organization.

The Hankook Ilbo, in "Democratic Party Lets 'Charge‑Drop Deal' Claims Fade — Kim Eo‑jun's Intimidation Works," said Kim threatened to counter‑sue for false accusations if complaints were filed against him. Backed by a hardline supporter base, the influential YouTuber's threats have apparently made even the ruling party hesitate to act.

The Hankyoreh reported, in "Judges Avoiding Criminal Trials for Fear of Being Accused Under the Law‑Distortion Offense," that chief judges from courts nationwide met for two days beginning on the 12th at a hotel in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, to discuss responses to the law‑distortion offense and the new trial petition system. Court chiefs warned that introducing the law could increase complaints and accusations against criminal judges, potentially deepening a trend of judges avoiding criminal panels.

The Hankyoreh sharply criticized those concerns. It argued that declining criminal cases out of fear of complaints is not the behavior expected of judges. Conviction under the law‑distortion offense requires proof of deliberate distortion, the paper noted, and asked rhetorically how many judges would knowingly misapply the law. If any did, they should be punished, it said. The editorial also dismissed the fuss over Chief Justice Cho Hee‑dae being labeled the "first" person accused as unbecoming, noting that the principle against retroactive punishment makes it highly unlikely Cho would face liability for the May 1 decision in President Lee Jae‑myung's election law case. The paper concluded that judges who adjudicate independently, according to their conscience and the Constitution, need not feel intimidated.

The Korea Economic Daily, in "Medical School Quotas Per School Finalized — A Start Toward Reviving Local Healthcare," reported that next year's medical school enrollment will be set at 3,548 students, an increase of 490 from the pre‑expansion level of 3,058 in the 2024 academic year. The paper said the policy's success hinges on creating conditions that encourage students admitted through regional tracks to choose essential care specialties and remain in underserved areas after completing mandatory service.

The Hankook Ilbo criticized the appointment of Baek Tae‑woong, a University of Hawaii law professor, as the head of the country's OECD mission in an editorial titled "An Ambassador to the UN Who Lacks Diplomatic Experience, Now an OECD Envoy Lacking Economic Expertise." The paper argued that the OECD post has typically gone to seasoned economic officials or international economic experts, and appointing someone without an economic background is unprecedented. With roughly 40 overseas ambassador posts vacant, the paper warned that such patronage appointments that ignore expertise are worrisome.

The Hankook Ilbo also covered the Itaewon disaster special investigation hearing in "Those Responsible for Causing Grief to Victims' Families Again," criticizing former Interior Minister Lee Sang‑min's response that public awareness of safety culture needs to be raised. The paper said his answer shows no progress from his earlier claim that pre‑deploying police or firefighters would not have prevented the tragedy.