“A classic case of opportunism···Believing in the last chance”
“Those who take on the ruling party’s floor leadership should be ready to retire”
Lee Jun-seok, a member of the Reform Party, held a press conference at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on the 15th of last month. Yonhap News
According to Seoul Economy, Lee Jun-seok, a Reform Party lawmaker, urged the immediate resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol, stating that “impeachment would be a luxury for him.”
In an interview on SBS Radio’s “Kim Tae-hyun’s Political Show” on the 10th, Lee said, “Even if President Yoon raises his hands and says, ‘Citizens, please save me,’ they won’t, considering the current economic situation.” When asked if resigning before impeachment would be appropriate, Lee answered, “If he’s going to do it, he should do it before being arrested; doing it after would be ridiculous,” and argued that the resignation should happen immediately upon hearing the broadcast.
Lee pointed to the economic situation as the reason President Yoon should step down immediately. He stated, “Citizens are seeing the economy crumble day by day due to this crazy and foolish coup, with the exchange rate rising almost 6-7%, significantly affecting consumer prices. The assets valued in dollars are drastically decreasing, putting citizens in an intolerable situation.”
However, Lee also predicted that the likelihood of President Yoon choosing to resign is very low. He commented, “Since the Busan Expo incident, it has been clear that President Yoon is a classic opportunist. No matter how unfavorable the situation, he lives with the belief that ‘I still have one last shot.'” He further criticized, “He might believe that if there is a corrupt election, public opinion could immediately turn, provoking patriotic conservatives to act like a military regime to arrest members of the National Assembly and reinstate him.”
Regarding some in the ruling party’s assertion that a temporary acting authority could lead to constitutional amendments if President Yoon is arrested, Lee dismissed it as more fantasy than strategy. He remarked, “Is it a viable strategy to drag things out through arrest?” and added, “Currently, anyone taking on the role of floor leader must be ready to retire from politics.”
Commenting on Han Dong-hoon’s plan to stabilize the political situation, Lee declared, “If I were him, I would resign immediately.” He argued, “Leading such a strange group requires either showing personal leadership to direct them properly or demonstrating strong political resolve, but the former is impossible. Since the opportunity has already been missed, fleeing is the only option now.” He continued, “He’s in no position to influence the vote, so no one would credit him even if the outcome is favorable. If it goes wrong, many are ready to blame him. Therefore, retreat is the best strategy.”
Regarding the vote on President Yoon’s second impeachment motion scheduled for the 14th, Lee assessed, “The likelihood of it passing has increased.” He noted, “Those who have experienced hardships have some resilience, but People Power Party lawmakers are showing a severe lack of it. Politicians accustomed to warm regions like Yeongnam or Gangnam will react sensitively if their election in their district becomes uncertain.” He further added, “Under normal circumstances, more than eight ballots could deviate from the party line.”