Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, appointed lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi as the youth committee member on August 20, prompting backlash from Choi Min-hee, a senior member aligned with the pro-Cheongrae faction. The party is currently experiencing heightened factional tensions between the pro-Myeong (Lee Jae-myung) and pro-Cheongrae groups.
During a meeting of lawmakers held at the National Assembly, Kim explained, "We concluded that electing a youth committee member would overlap with the youth chair's electorate, so I decided to make a direct appointment."
However, Choi expressed her discontent on Facebook, stating, "Kim suddenly revealed the names of two appointed committee members based on the premise that 'the secretary general reported that electing a youth committee member was not possible.'" She added, "I was taken aback as there was no prior consultation with the committee."
Choi pointed out that according to Article 26, Section 4 of the party constitution, "appointed committee members are designated by the party leader and confirmed through a vote by the committee." She emphasized that the appointment of committee members should involve at least some consultation with the committee, questioning the validity of the decision made without any prior discussion.
She further urged adherence to basic procedures, criticizing that during the party convention, Kim and the other two candidates had publicly promised to appoint a youth committee member through an election process. "How can we expect to gain the support of the 2030 generation if we do not even keep our promises made to them?" she asked.
Choi also highlighted the upcoming election for the youth chair, suggesting that the position of youth chair could naturally lead to a committee member role, urging Kim to reconsider his decision.
In addition to Jeon, Kim appointed Kwon Mi-kyung, chair of the Korean Federation of Public Service and Transportation Workers' Unions, to represent the labor sector.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.