Yoo Si-min Criticizes Lee Jae-myung: "An Arrogant Power Holder"

Writer Yoo Si-min pointed to the President's excessive intervention in the ruling party and his desire to seize and control the party as the main causes of the conflict between the party and the government. He stated, "If the President cuts off excessive intervention in the ruling party, and the desire to seize and control it, I believe it will quickly recover."

He predicted that this conflict between the party and the government would continue under the leadership of Chairman Kim Min-seok, indicating that resolving the issue would be difficult without a change in the President's attitude.

Writer Yoo Si-min likened former Deputy Director Kim Yong's defeat to 'breaking the car window parked outside' and said that the President would not understand why the window was broken. He added, "I said that Kim Yong's defeat was like breaking the car window parked outside. The President won't understand why the window was broken."

Referring to the case of Assemblyman Lee Seong-yoon, he argued against the impropriety of internal party intervention, raising his voice that such intervention infringes upon the party's autonomy.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu analyzed that writer Yoo Si-min's remarks implied a dilemma between the success of the Lee Jae-myung administration and the reduction of the vested interests' position. Citing Yoo Si-min's argument that President Lee Jae-myung should focus on his role as president and leave party matters to the party, he saw this as leading to the idea that the traditional vested interests of the Democratic Party should once again become the mainstream of the party.

Reporter Kang mentioned that writer Yoo Si-min is preparing for a 'post-Lee Jae-myung' era, envisioning a scenario where figures like Jo Kuk or those they support regain power. He stated, "President Lee Jae-myung, you should work hard as president and leave party matters to the party. So, if the traditional vested interests of the Democratic Party become the mainstream again, I think writer Yoo Si-min believes that after Lee Jae-myung, in the post-Lee Jae-myung era, Jo Kuk or those they support will regain power."

This analysis supports the interpretation that the traditional vested interests intend to influence the next presidential election by regaining party leadership.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu quoted writer Yoo Si-min's remark, "It seems politicians do politics, but actually the people do it. We must prove this." He assessed this remark as "a very frightening statement."

Reporter Kang argued that this remark could ultimately be interpreted as a direct signal that since President Lee Jae-myung seems unwilling to relinquish party leadership, 'we must reclaim party leadership with our own strength'.

Writer Yoo Si-min defined President Lee Jae-myung's current 모습 as "the image of a power holder," criticizing him as "a very arrogant power holder at that." He expressed disappointment, stating that he fully trusted President Lee Jae-myung when he ran for office, saying he needed authority, not power, but the image he showed for a year was that of an arrogant power holder. He said, "The current image of President Lee Jae-myung is that of a power holder. And a very arrogant power holder at that. I fully trusted him because he said he was running because he needed authority, not power. But I think the image the President has shown for a year is that of a power holder, and an arrogant one at that."

Along with this criticism, writer Yoo Si-min urged supporters to 'prove that the people are in charge of politics,' expressing a strong will for change in the current political situation.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu quoted writer Yoo Si-min saying, "We must prove that the people are in charge of politics," interpreting this to mean, "It's not the President, but us, the people, who should unite and show the President a lesson."

He analyzed that writer Yoo Si-min's remark was not merely a criticism but closer to a declaration of a power struggle against President Lee Jae-myung's seizure of party leadership.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu speculated that pro-Moon figures like Yoo Si-min hold the logic that President Lee Jae-myung is "a hired CEO president who finishes his term and leaves," and the next president "should be a candidate picked by their camp."

This interpretation suggests that President Lee Jae-myung is merely performing his term, but they have a strategic goal for their preferred candidate to win the next presidency.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu explained that the Democratic Party's constitution and regulations stipulate that "when there is a party member who is also the President, he influences the party's various directives and policies through the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs."

He pointed out that the argument for complete separation of the President and the party contradicts the very reason for the existence of the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, emphasizing that the President's intervention in party affairs can be justified by the party's constitution and regulations.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu sent a text message to writer Yoo Si-min, requesting an interview: "Would you be willing to interview with us regarding your criticism of President Lee Jae-myung as an arrogant power holder?" To this, writer Yoo Si-min briefly replied, "No."

He then stated that there was no response to the subsequent messages sent by Reporter Kang clarifying factual matters.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu refuted writer Yoo Si-min's remarks, stating they differed from the facts, and provided specific examples of nominations. He asked, "Didn't you know that Kim Yong hoped for nomination in Ansan? Didn't you know that Kim Young-nam's party tried to nominate him in Pyeongtaek? It's a fact reported in the media that Ha Jung-woo was nominated because Jeong Cheong-rae insisted, despite negative sentiment from the presidential office."

This refers to the cases of Kim Yong's hope for Ansan nomination, Kim Young-nam's attempt at Pyeongtaek nomination, and Ha Jung-woo's nomination due to Jeong Cheong-rae's insistence, asking writer Yoo Si-min for further factual verification regarding the President's intervention in party affairs.

Reporter Kang Jin-gu assessed writer Yoo Si-min as "someone who has no intention of debating," and asserted that his current actions are "inciting and mobilizing anti-Lee Jae-myung forces within the democratic-progressive camp."

He emphasized that writer Yoo Si-min's remarks should be seen not as mere criticism, but as a 'declaration of power struggle' aimed at reorganizing the power structure within the Democratic Party.