Lee Seok-yeon Urges Lee Jae-myung to Leave Party… US-ROK Alliance Difficulties & Minister Jeong Seong-ho Resigns

Lee Seok-yeon, Chairman of the National Unity Committee, appeared on MBC's '100-Minute Debate' and urged the President to leave the Democratic Party immediately after its national convention. Chairman Lee stated that the President should not remain the head of a political faction but should focus on state administration.

This attributes responsibility for the current factional strife and national division to Representative Lee Jae-myung, asserting that the President should play a greater role in national unity.

Amidst the ongoing US-ROK combined exercise 'Freedom Shield,' it has been confirmed that CP Tango, the wartime combined command post in Seongnam, has withdrawn to the Pyeongtaek US military base. While the US Forces Korea command is officially refraining from comment, this withdrawal measure is raising concerns about the collapse of the combined forces system.

Some analysts suggest that such a command post relocation could have unexpected impacts on the US-ROK combined defense posture.

Commander Brunson canceled his schedule for the 50th anniversary memorial ceremony of the Axe Murder Incident in Panmunjom and urgently visited the Ministry of National Defense for a 15 to 20-minute meeting with Minister Ahn Gyu-baek. This unusual urgent meeting is presumed to be related to notification of a reduction in US-ROK combined exercises.

Some suggest the possibility that President Trump's order to cancel exercises was conveyed, leading to analyses that this could bring changes to the US-ROK military cooperation relationship.

These circumstances are amplifying uncertainty in the US-ROK alliance, and attention is focused on the future direction of military cooperation between the two countries.

President Trump expressed dissatisfaction to White House reporters, stating that Representative Lee Jae-myung refused a request for support related to the Iran war. President Trump reportedly pointed out Korea's diplomatic discourtesy, saying, "We're sending 399,000 U.S. troops to your country, right in front of Kim Jong-un, to help you."

These remarks are interpreted as President Trump publicly expressing dissatisfaction with Korea's foreign policy and hinting at his intention to bypass Korea and communicate directly with North Korea.

The Wall Street Journal reported the possibility of a meeting between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un at APEC in November. This report is seen as a signal that the U.S. will communicate directly with North Korea, excluding South Korea, leading to analysis that it is effectively a situation of bypassing Representative Lee Jae-myung.

The report of this potential meeting could bring significant changes to the situation on the Korean Peninsula and is amplifying concerns about South Korea's diplomatic standing.

Criticism has been raised that Representative Lee Jae-myung's advocacy for the early regaining of wartime operational control (OPCON) lacks a realistic understanding. Representative Lee uses the phrase 'early regaining' instead of 'reversion' or 'transition'.

This is being pointed out as a misinterpretation by the current administration of the U.S. military commander's remarks supporting OPCON reversion, leading to plans that are far from actually feasible.

Politico labeled the Lee Jae-myung administration the 'slowest negotiator ever,' reporting on delays in Korea's fulfillment of investment promises to the U.S. and dissatisfaction from the U.S. side. In particular, it highlighted the delay in fulfilling a $20 billion investment promise and discord in the Texas project.

This report, along with observations of Kim Jeong-gwan's poor performance during his visit to the U.S., is amplifying doubts about Korea's diplomatic capabilities towards the U.S.

The U.S. is expressing considerable dissatisfaction with Korea's investment delays, raising concerns that this could negatively affect bilateral relations.

Some also criticize the Lee Jae-myung government's diplomatic inexperience as having caused this situation.

The Korean government is showing willingness to pursue nuclear-powered submarines, but it is pointed out that this is impossible without revising the US-ROK Atomic Energy Agreement. There have been no follow-up schedules since the kickoff meeting.

This suggests that while the Korean government intends to pursue an independent course, it is encountering realistic constraints.

Some express concern that the pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines could lead to difficulties in US-ROK military cooperation.

It has been confirmed that Minister Jeong Seong-ho submitted his resignation to the Blue House and the Ministry of Personnel Management yesterday. This signals a potential cabinet reshuffle and is expected to cause significant ripple effects in politics.

The Blue House reportedly accepted the resignation, asking him to complete his duties until a successor is appointed.

Minister Jeong Seong-ho's resignation could be the first cabinet-level personnel change since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration, and attention is focused on the scale and timing of a future cabinet reshuffle.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk stated that the Special Prosecutor's Act has already passed and that the targets of investigation are clearly enumerated. He emphasized that in addition to the 12 specified investigation targets, cases perceived to be related to them can also be investigated.

This implies that investigations can extend to local elections, as well as general and presidential elections, and can include overall election management by the National Election Commission and issues of ballot paper shortages.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk emphasized that the passage of the Special Prosecutor's Act was made possible by the roar of citizens at Olympic Park. He asserted that sustained citizen participation is necessary to overcome the Democratic Party's opposition.

He also argued that even if a special prosecutor is appointed, the roar of citizens must continue to ensure it becomes a proper special prosecutor that the people want, emphasizing the importance of the August 15 citizen rally.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk added that this will of the citizens gives legitimacy to the term 'People's Special Prosecutor'.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk criticized Representative Lee Jae-myung's intervention in the national convention as clear interference in party affairs, stating its purpose was for prosecution withdrawal and a re-election constitutional amendment. He argued that Lee Jae-myung unduly intervened in the convention to make a candidate who would go in the direction he desired into the party leader.

This undue intervention led to disappointment among party members and internal conflict, and he predicted that Party Leader Kim Min-seok would focus on defending against judicial risks.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk pointed out that this convention process undermined the Democratic Party's democratic procedures and expressed concern for the party's future.

He predicted that Representative Lee Jae-myung's intervention would hinder party unity and ultimately negatively affect the entire party.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk pointed out that there was no change in the previous two trilateral meetings and stated that consideration for a meeting is needed at present. He criticized the previous meetings as "a kind of show, just to create and display a picture that the President is communicating with the opposition leader."

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk emphasized that if there is a genuine will to dialogue with the opposition leader, they should be called immediately, and abnormal communication methods like secret golf meetings are rightfully criticized.

He stressed that genuine communication should not be for show but for substantive discussions to resolve national issues.

This statement reflects a skeptical view of the trilateral meeting requested by Representative Lee Jae-myung's side and calls for a sincere approach that can bring about real change.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk dismissed Representative Lee Jae-myung's claim for a shortened term constitutional amendment, saying, "I believe not only a three-year-old but also a passing dog wouldn't believe that he would simply shorten his term for the future of South Korea and amend the constitution." He interpreted this claim as an intention to secure an 8-year term under the guise of a 1-year term reduction.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk criticized Representative Lee Jae-myung for brazenly disregarding public opinion for his own benefit and being an obstacle to constitutional amendment discussions.

This criticism reveals a perspective that Representative Lee Jae-myung's constitutional amendment claim is not driven by pure intent but by political calculations.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk predicted that Representative Lee Jae-myung would use pledges such as relocating the Presidential Office to Sejong to ignite discussions on constitutional amendment. He presented a scenario: "Saying 'we're going to move the Presidential Office to Sejong,' and 'I will move the Presidential Office to Sejong within my term. To do that, we ultimately need a constitutional amendment. Let's amend the constitution,' and so on."

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk predicted that there would be a strategy to use the Constitutional Court's decisions to re-emphasize the constitutional amendment argument and integrate various amendment discussions to eventually link them to a re-election amendment.

These assertions imply that Representative Lee Jae-myung intends to pursue a constitutional amendment within the larger picture of state administration and strengthen his political standing through it.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk predicted that in this process, he would promote public opinion for a re-election amendment, using arguments such as strengthening the National Assembly's authority.

On his first anniversary in office, Representative Jang Dong-hyuk reflected, "It would not be an exaggeration to say that almost all of the past year has been spent resolving the various internal conflicts that arose while bringing the party to order."

He pointed out that there is a lack of consensus among the 109 lawmakers on ways to change the party, and the absence of a response system to the series of indictments of lawmakers creates difficulties for genuine reform.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk criticized the recurring calls for resignation, stating that "every time the party's approval rating rebounded and narrowed the gap with the Democratic Party, calls for resignation always emerged." He pointed out that these calls divide the party and continuously fuel internal conflict, causing approval ratings to drop again.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk criticized the lack of role among senior lawmakers and their tendency to prioritize political criticism, emphasizing that the path to general election victory is through presenting alternatives and fighting, not changing the leader.

He accused certain factions within the party of undermining party unity for their own political gain and warned that if such behavior continues, the People Power Party's chances of winning the general election will diminish.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk stressed the importance of uniting the party's capabilities and presenting a vision that gives hope to the people, arguing that constructive discussions are needed instead of calls for resignation.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk criticized former Representative Han Dong-hoon, stating that when he was in the People Power Party, "he continuously created conflict between the party and the President, even though he was the ruling party leader, ultimately causing ongoing party-government friction." He cited examples of Han Dong-hoon's role in party-government conflict during his tenure and warned about controversies on party bulletin boards and the potential for undermining state governance.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk expressed a negative stance on bringing individuals who have harmed the party to the forefront, stating that actions that undermine party unity and stability in state administration cannot be tolerated.

These remarks indicate significant dissatisfaction within the party regarding Han Dong-hoon's future actions and emphasize the need to establish internal discipline within the party.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk reaffirmed his principled stance, emphasizing that "there must be strict measures commensurate with" conduct damaging to the party. He pointed out the need for serious action regarding party discipline issues, such as the problem of grabbing the floor leader's collar and the 'roundhouse kick' remark.

He also raised the issue of responsibility for damaging the party's image, regardless of whether the victim shows leniency, and argued that actions that harm the party's reputation must be dealt with decisively.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk stressed that such measures are essential for rectifying party discipline and restoring public trust, and stated that principles would be applied without exception to anyone holding any position within the party.

Kim Young-hwan pointed out that this election was "unfair, with the President's intervention," raising suspicions of government-led election interference by the President. He emphasized the impropriety of the ruling party's intervention in the Democratic Party's national convention.

Kim Young-hwan criticized such intervention as severely undermining the fairness of the election, arguing that it violates the fundamental principles of democracy.

This statement suggests the possibility that the President's election intervention influenced the outcome of the Democratic Party's national convention, and is expected to spark significant controversy in political circles.

Kim Young-hwan assessed Party Leader Kim Min-seok as "definitely someone who grew up under Lee Jae-myung's influence," yet offered the paradoxical prediction that "in the very last stage, Kim Min-seok will strike Lee Jae-myung."

This analysis suggests that while Party Leader Kim Min-seok grew with Lee Jae-myung's support, he will ultimately part ways with Lee Jae-myung to establish his own political standing.

Kim Young-hwan's assertion reveals a complex view of the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party and amplifies interest in future changes in their relationship.

Kim Young-hwan identified the "exodus of the 2030 generation" as the core reason why the Lee Jae-myung government's state administration is struggling to rebound, likening it to a "millstone" by saying, "If you fall into water and have a millstone tied to your foot, you can't get out, can you? What is that millstone... I think it's the change in the 20s and 30s."

He analyzed that the withdrawal of support from the 2030 generation is the biggest change in South Korean political history, stemming from opposition to unfairness, destruction of democracy, and market-defying policies.

He also explained that changes in the 2030 generation's security views and their anti-China stance are a significant burden on the Lee Jae-myung government.

Kim Young-hwan warned that if the Lee Jae-myung government fails to address the exodus of the 2030 generation, it will be difficult to regain momentum in state administration, emphasizing the need to listen to the voices of the younger generation.

Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, while stating that he had previously considered election fraud allegations to be a conspiracy theory, showed a change in his stance, saying, "Looking at the processes emerging this time, it seems difficult to simply dismiss it as a conspiracy theory." He asserted that "as many circumstances are being discovered, it must be clarified through investigation," and mentioned that if officially confirmed, a re-election would be necessary.

This represents a shift from his previous position, urging an investigation based on specific circumstances and raising the need for a re-election if the allegations prove true.