People Power Party, ‘60% Women and 30-40s’ Shocking Nomination Committee Decision… Lee Jung-hyun Says “Innovative Appointments Without Political Debt”

The People Power Party has confirmed the formation of an ‘innovative’ nomination committee that places 30-40s and women at the forefront ahead of the June 3 local elections and by-elections. Instead of the existing factional and regional allocations, the committee emphasizes generational change and breaking away from vested interests, signaling a major renewal from the nomination stage.

On the 19th, the People Power Party held a Supreme Council meeting and approved the composition plan for the 9th Central Party Nomination Committee for the local elections and the by-elections. This nomination committee, consisting of a total of 10 members including the newly appointed Lee Jung-hyun as chair on the 12th, recorded shocking figures that exceed the party constitution and regulations’ standards for women (30%) and youth (20%) by more than double.

Looking at the members of the nomination committee, the rise of experts born in the 1980s and 90s is remarkable. Young talents with practical skills, such as Song Seo-yul, head of a policy research organization (born in 1989), Lee Dong-gun, evaluation committee member for elected officials (born in 1990), and Hwang Soo-rim, planning director of the Seoul Bar Association (born in 1991), have joined in large numbers. Additionally, women experts like Kim Bo-ram, director of the Korean Policy Association (born in 1983), and Lee Ha-na, adjunct professor at Sungkyunkwan University (born in 1984), have joined, bringing the proportion of those in their 30s and 40s and women to 60% each among the total members.

There are evaluations that they have also broken away from the ‘familiar structure’ of the political world. The number of incumbent lawmakers has been minimized to three, including the ex officio Secretary General Jeong Hee-yong (Vice Chair), Seo Ji-young, head of the Public Relations Department, and Choi Soo-jin, chief spokesperson of the National Assembly. They filled 50% of the committee with external personnel to enhance neutrality, and instead of the usual high-ranking officials from the prosecution and judiciary, they included individuals with diverse backgrounds such as practicing lawyers and graduates of Jeong Kyung-sook.

Chairman Lee Jung-hyun stated through his social media on that day, “This appointment did not consider factions or regions at all, but only whether they could participate in innovative nominations.” He particularly emphasized, “I wanted to bring in individuals without political debt,” and stated, “We will establish criteria for breaking away from authority, cartels, and vested interests to select candidates with future-oriented and competitive qualities.”

There are analyses that this composition of the nomination committee is an unusual attempt that breaks the existing political grammar. By having young and female members lead the practical and rational review, they aim to secure transparency and fairness in the nomination process. Chairman Lee expressed his renewed commitment to innovation, saying, “I am also looking forward to how much they will break the existing political framework and establish fair standards during the primary and interview processes.”