In a public meeting on the 13th, the leadership of the Reform Party openly clashed amid escalating internal strife. Heo Eun-ah, the party leader, stated, “I will not stand by attempts to oust the party leader without following due procedure.” In response, Floor Leader Chun Ha-ram countered, “We are trying to correct Heo’s operation of the party as if it were her personal office.”
The Reform Party’s Supreme Council meeting, held that morning at the National Assembly, was tense even before it began. When Heo questioned why others did not attend a preliminary meeting, Chun responded that he hadn’t received notice. Heo claimed it was announced via text, to which Supreme Council member Lee Gi-in retorted, “We only received notice of a public meeting, don’t get confused,” leading to a shouting match. Internal conflicts have been brewing since the dismissal of former General Secretary Kim Cheol-geun, previously causing the meetings to be held in private, but this was the first public session of the year.
In her opening remarks, Heo warned that the party’s democratic principles were under significant threat, asserting that power, not the system, was steering the party. She accused unnamed major stakeholders of trying to oust her for opposing their interests, drawing parallels to a past situation with the People Power Party in the summer of 2022, noting only the names had changed.
Chun Ha-ram explained that the root of the discord lay in leftover animosities from proportional representation nominations during the last general election. He criticized Heo for allegedly acting like an autocrat who demands absolute obedience and stated that the unresolved conflicts from the nomination process might be the underlying issue.
He emphasized that the leadership should focus on preparing for the presidential election rather than power struggles. Chun expressed confusion over the current discord, noting several attempts to rally unity for the election under Heo’s leadership. Criticizing Heo’s recent press conference targeting a fellow lawmaker, Chun questioned the benefit of undermining their prominent presidential candidate and challenged Heo to confront him directly if necessary.