“It is too early to discuss an early campaign committee,” Seoul, NewSys, Kim Jihoon, and Han Eun-jin report that on the 16th, Park Seonghoon, the chief spokesperson for the People’s Power Party, commented on one of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s requests for the early establishment of an innovative campaign committee, stating, “Some people are talking about an early campaign committee, but it is too early to discuss a campaign committee.”
Chief Spokesperson Park met with reporters after the Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly that morning and stated, “Usually, a campaign committee is organized after candidate nominations are completed. Discussing the composition of the campaign committee or appointing a campaign committee chairman when the candidate selection hasn’t even been finalized yet is premature.”
He further mentioned, “There’s no reason not to have a campaign committee that embodies innovation, but a campaign committee where Representative Jang Dong-hyuk steps back to a secondary role is not acceptable and cannot be accepted.” He added, “The specific individuals being mentioned in some quarters do not align with the party’s direction toward the future.”
Concerning Mayor Oh’s demand for personnel reorganization and the possible reappointment of spokesperson Park Min-young, it was mentioned that “some Supreme Council members conveyed concerns about the possibility of reappointing spokesperson Park.” Related agenda items were reportedly not raised in the Supreme Council on that day.
On whether other candidates are being considered besides Mayor Oh, he stated, “Mayor Oh remains a prominent candidate for Seoul Mayor, and his status as an essential asset to the party has not changed.”
Regarding the potential meeting between the party leadership and Mayor Oh, Park mentioned, “The possibility remains open.” However, he questioned, “Whether showing favoritism to a specific individual and being swayed in such a situation where other candidates exist is appropriate from the fairness of candidate selection standpoint.”
On the status of Yoon Min-woo, the chairman of the Ethics Committee, Park mentioned, “From the perspective of respecting the nature of the party’s independent organization, the resignation demands from parts of the party will not be accepted by the leadership.”
Regarding the decision by Chairman Lee Jeong-hyeon of the Public Nomination Committee to cut off Kim Young-hwan, Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do, he said, “The decision was made at the level of the Public Nomination Committee, so the party leadership has no special plans to comment.”