You Si-min Criticizes President Lee Jae-myung: "Installing Ruling Party Leader is Like a Monarchy"

▲ Writer You Si-min

Pro-ruling bloc commentator and writer You Si-min criticized yesterday (August 24) that "President Lee Jae-myung is dismantling his own governing coalition."

Appearing on a YouTube channel that day, You stated, "President Lee garnered 49% of the vote by rallying the entire progressive and reformist camp through a political coalition to overcome the state of emergency. He has been dismantling this himself up until now."

Comparing the situation, he said, "Looking at the process of driving out former leader Lee Jun-seok (during the Yoon Suk Yeol administration) and other events, I said back then that he would soon face tragic consequences because he was dismantling his own ruling base. Now, the anti-Lee Jae-myung faction (in the current government) is also being dismantled, heading toward a very unstable phase."

He raised his voice, saying, "The image the president has shown over the past year is that of an arrogant ruler. The president is not running state affairs through communication, empathy, and connection."

Regarding the recent results of the Democratic Party's national convention, he asked rhetorically, "What was confirmed at the convention is that we lost half of the Democratic Party members. This is extremely fatal to the president, and I do not understand why he is bringing this upon himself."

While noting, "Since it is a government we established, we want it to succeed," You argued regarding claims that President Lee supported then-candidate Kim Min-seok during the convention period that "it runs counter to the spirit of a republic."

He criticized, "For a president to pick and try to elect the leader of the ruling party is moving toward a monarchy or aristocracy. (Party members) were forced to make a very painful choice."

He added, "About 54% (of the voting base) chose to elect the person 'picked' by the president, while 46%, including three Supreme Council members, kept the non-mainstream faction alive. I figured it would be difficult for Jeong Chung-rae to win."

"I considered it a success if (Representative Jeong's support rate) exceeded 40%," he continued, adding, "The Democratic Party members kept the non-mainstream faction alive at a level much higher than my expectations, which made me think they are truly remarkable."

He also brought up the so-called "personnel recommendation controversy" from late last year, criticizing, "Kim Nam-guk, who had tendered his resignation at the time, became a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, received a strategic nomination, and became a member of the National Assembly for Ansan. This is something that would have been unthinkable in the old Democratic Party."

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